A new woodland space has been created near the Ayrshire Central Hospital to help improve mental health in patients and the local community.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran has developed the garden for walking and relaxing to encourage more people to go outside and get active.

The project is aiming to reduce anxiety and stress with physically active people having up to a 30% reduced risk of becoming depressed.

With a mixture of mature and young trees and enrichment planting, the walk will become home to a diverse range of tree species over time, increasing biodiversity and overall wildlife in the woods.

Bird and bat boxes have also been built and installed by patients.

Head of mental health services, Thelma Bowers, said: "This path is a great way for our patients, staff, visitors and the local community to get out and enjoy the woodland.

"Walking is one of the easiest forms of exercise to fit in to our everyday lives.

"I would encourage everyone to use this new accessible space for leisure and for work purposes - for example, walking meetings whenever possible."

The Ayrshire Central Woodland path is now open for use and will be officially launched in August.