PUPILS have planted hundreds of trees in their school grounds to help tackle climate change and improve the environment.

Armed with spades and trowels and clad in wellies and waterproofs, students and staff at Ripon Grammar School got together to begin planting 300 trees, including rowan, birch, shrub roses, oak and hawthorn, in the school grounds.

The trees were donated by the Woodland Trust as part of its Big Climate Fightback campaign, which is encouraging people across the country to plant trees around November 30.

Students Lucy Crum, Martha Jones, Beatrice Webster and Freya Haigh said they were proud to join together with others all over the UK to help make our country a greener and healthier place.

Freya, 11, from Ripon, said: “There should be a lot more trees in Ripon.

"The more we plant, the bigger difference it will make to the area and it’s also good for the planet.”