THE New Forest needs all the protection it can get and its newly-granted National Park status will play a major role in providing that protection.

That was the message from leading actor and environmentalist Brian Blessed when he came to the northern edge of the Forest this week to take his own close-up look at its treasured scenery.

The star of Z-Cars and countless other television programmes is still rejoicing at the way the Forest was protected by the rejection of plans for a huge container port at Dibden Bay, a scheme which was opposed by organisations from the Solent right through to the Northern tip of the Test Valley.

That was the reason for his last 'public appearance' in the Forest district four years ago and his joy at its refusal is still so vivid that he can remember exactly where he was and what he was doing when the news came through.

Speaking as he scanned an unspoilt area of Forest at Fritham, he recalled: "I was in my garden surrounded by my Jack Russells and about 600 dogs - I run a rescue centre - when I was handed the phone and they said Dibden Bay had been turned down.

"I'm not a political person at all, but I was so delighted that I sent a fax to the Minister and thanked him enormously."

Now that the Forest is a National Park, he feels its protection will be even greater, but he is full of praise for all the local environmentalists and campaigners who have fought to protect it over the last 150 years.

He made his visit this week as a guest of the New Forest Association, which was founded in 1867 and is now clearly the Forest's oldest conservation group.

Accompanied at Fritham by NFA chairman William Ziegler and vice-chairman Peter Roberts, he said: "These guys are the real heroes. They have always been fighting for the good of the New Forest in the way that they fought against Dibden Bay - and having a massive container port at Dibden Bay would have put an enormous wound in the side of the New Forest. . "The people here know how to run the area and there are lots of them - the Verderers, the commoners, the agisters, the rangers and many more. And thank God for them."

Earlier, he had said his piece on behalf of the Council for National Parks at a meeting of the Verderers' Court at Lyndhurst. And in a tribute to the Verderers and their court, he said: "Not only does the court play an invaluable role in the management of the Crown lands, along with the Forestry Commission, it also allows anyone to have their say on matters of importance to the Forest - a truly democratic system - long may it continue."

"The Park is, of course, much more than the Crown Lands and provides an opportunity for the greater protection of this essential national lung. As one of the National Parks of England, it offers opportunity for people to enjoy the countryside in a unique setting - the last Royal Forest of England."

But he stressed the importance of the Park's and of the campaigning work done by the Council for National Parks. "The job of the CNP," he said, "is to protect it and help whenever it can. And what it is very good at is making sure that things are protected and enhanced.

"They don't give a toss and they will wade into politicians and fight for anything that needs fighting for - and they'll do it with love and grace."