GREEN fingered residents of a North-East town can pick up free trees to plant as part of an initiative to tackle carbon emissions.

The young ‘whips' - trees in the first stages of growth - are being handed out by Middlesbrough Council in partnership with Middlesbrough Environment City.

They' are available to any Middlesbrough resident or group to plant in gardens, community spaces or other land agreed by the council.

A maximum of six trees are available per resident, with community groups able to request up to 20 per group.

The local authority planted more 700 trees last year as part of its green strategy, in line with the government's national and international plans to tackle climate change.

Earlier this month council teams planted fruit trees at Pennyman Primary School in Middlesbrough in conjunction with Thirteen Housing Group, to teach budding environmentalists about the importance of being sustainable.

Trees can provide shade and absorb and store CO2 from pollution which could help to make a big difference to Middlesbrough's carbon output.

The council is aiming to reduce carbon emissions for the town to zero by 2039.

Councillor Dennis McCabe, executive member for environment, said: "We're really excited to invite people to come forward to pick up the tree whips and get planting.

"It's not only great for the environment, but it's a low-cost way to help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere."

Trees can be picked up between Thursday, December 3 and Thursday, December 10, to coincide with National Tree Week.

To arrange collection call 01642 300508.

Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston added: "As the lungs of our environment trees couldn't be more important, and that's why we can never have enough of them.

"I set a target of planting 10,000 trees across Middlesbrough, and initiatives like this are a great way to meet and then far exceed that number."