A RANGER is to be appointed to look after Castle Hill.

Kirklees Cultural Services, which owns the Castle Hill site, has been conducting interviews for the post and the panel thinks it has found a suitable candidate.

The successful applicant is set to be officially announced within a week, but it is not known when they will actually start work.

The appointment will end months of speculation about whether Castle Hill will get a ranger or not.

The full-time post involves managing litter problems at the site, offering information and help to the public and raising awareness of conservation issues.

Louise Carlson, museum operations manager for Kirklees Cultural Services, said: "We will have a full-time presence on the hill, which is great news. We have been looking forward to this for a long time."

The idea of a new ranger has been welcomed by local people.

Almondbury man Howard Jennings said: "The appointment of this ranger is fantastic news. The council is to be congratulated.

"It is hard for people to communicate with the different groups involved in Castle Hill and the ranger might make this easier."

Mr Jennings, who runs Castle Hill Nurseries in Almondbury, is planning to set up a `friends of Castle Hill' group to safeguard the historic site.

Mr Jennings said he was hoping the group would help tackle the constant problems of litter, fly- tipping and lack of facilities at the site, such as litter bins.

The litter problem was illustrated on Wednesday by Almondbury woman Barbara Lockwood, who sent the Examiner pictures of old tables, wood, a disused bath and other household items that had been dumped on the Almondbury side of Castle Hill.

Mr Jennings said: "Litter is a really big problem up there, mainly on the lanes leading to the hill, not so much the grassy area itself. People are always complaining.

"I wanted to do something positive and thought with Castle Hill being such a hot topic at the moment, now was a good time to start a group."

Mr Jennings is keen to hear from potential members and wants to talk to other groups, such as Friends of Beaumont Park, to find out the secrets of their success.

* Anyone who wants to join Mr Jennings' group can write to him at Castle Hill Nurseries, 91 Northgate, Almondbury, Huddersfield, HD5 8RX.