He does write beautifully, especially of his greatest love - our wild birds ... On The Marsh is a delightful read.' Christopher Hart, Daily MailHow the rewilding of eight acres of Norfolk marshland inspired a family and brought nature even closer to home. When writer Simon Barnes heard a Cetti's warbler sing out as he turned up to look at a house for sale, he knew immediately that he had found his new home.

The fact that his garden backed onto an area of marshy land only increased the possibilities, but there was always the fear that it might end up in the wrong...