VOLUNTEERS have helped plant 13,000 trees at a budding new forest.

The green-fingered volunteers planted the trees at Low Burnhall Wood, between Croxdale and Durham, as part of the Woodland Trust charity’s effort to create a 168-acre forest on the former arable farm.

Since last March, 50,000 trees have been planted on the land.

By the end of 2012, 68,000 trees including oak, ash, hazel and rowan will have been planted.

Site manager Gary Haley said: "This is our flagship site in the north of England and it’s great that so many people are taking an active part in making it into what will become a fantastic woodland in as little as ten years."

The planting took place on Saturday, March 19.

The Trust bought the land from the Sedgewick family in March 2008 for £2.4m. The work to create the forest will cost £1.5m, which was raised through donations and grants.

For more information, visit woodlandtrust.org.uk/low-burnhall