Visitors exploring the New Forest National Park are being urged to leave their mobile phones behind.

The National Park Authority (NPA) is encouraging day trippers to put phones and other electronic gadgets in a safe at Brockenhurst railway station and pick them up at the end of their visit.

Families are also being invited to deposit their car keys in the facility as part of a campaign to cut the number of vehicle movements.

Daily Echo:

Billed as the first scheme of its type in the country, Tech Creche (above) aims to persuade more people to take part in “tech-free, car-free” visits to the area.

It follows a survey carried out last year in which parents said their children spent too much time using gadgets - and youngsters complained that their parents were always sending texts or chatting on their mobiles.

An NPA spokesman said: “We hope Tech Creche will result in visitors appreciating the natural beauty of the Forest without being distracted by their screens and other devices.”

The free service can be used between 9am and 10pm every day until September 14.