A castle has partnered up with a recycling company to open the doors of one of Gloucestershire's most unique eco hotels.

Sudeley Castle, in collaboration with recycling firm Printwaste, has welcomed visitors to its latest wildlife bug hotel, aptly named ‘Bugeley Castle’.

The structure was constructed to improve biodiversity on the estate, providing a safe habitat for bugs and other small creatures.

Read more: A Clarke Electrical Services shuts down in Shipston

Crafted to mark World Environment Day, it is built from repurposed scrap materials, and joins the castle’s ‘Animal Ark’ zone.

The construction also incorporated broken plant pottery, bamboo, pinecones, straw, and even discarded plumbing pipes.

The hotel even has a special crest, adorned with castle's logo.

The roof has been covered in sedum plants to aid air purification and create a microclimate beneficial for the insects.

Information signs nearby will educate visitors about the structure, the partnership, and the environmental values of the castle and the company.

The hope is that the bug hotel will inspire others to start caring for animal habitats.

To boost bee populations and promote biodiversity, six volunteers at the company have also built and supplied two bee houses made of recycled scaffolding boards to the castle.

Elizabeth, Lady Ashcombe, Chatelaine of Sudeley Castle said: "We’re looking forward to creating Sudeley’s very first bug hotel with the Printwaste team and welcoming all sorts of little creatures and their creepy-crawly friends.

"We hope ‘Bugeley Castle’ will provide a safe space for many little creatures to call home."

Chris Robins, marketing manager of the company, said: "Both Sudeley and Printwaste see this as a wonderful synergy between sustainability which promotes re-use of materials, one of the best forms of treating waste, and biodiversity, bringing together the passion of both organisations.

"The creation of the bug hotel is a great symbolisation of our working partnership, one which is focused on strengthening Sudeley Castle’s environmental credentials."

The hotel, now open to the public, is part of a five-year partnership between the recycling firm and the castle since 2019.

Based in Cheltenham, the recycling company oversees complete waste management at the estate.