ANDY Burnham joined Bolton schoolchildren to plant the first seeds of the proposed Northern Forest yesterday.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester visited Smithills yesterday along with youngsters from St Peter’s Smithills Dean C of E Primary to plant the trees at the Woodland Trust’s new site.

Planting is planned over the next 25 years across a 120-mile stretch of northern England along the M62 corridor to boost habitat for wildlife including birds and bats, protect species such as the red squirrel and provide more access to woodlands for millions of people living in the area.

Conceived by the Woodland Trust and England’s Community Forests, the £500m project will ultimately result in 50 million trees being planted across the north of England. It will form part of the government’s long-awaited 25-year environment plan and £5.7 million of public money is being committed to launch the scheme.

Woodland Trust’s Smithills ranger Russ Hedley said: “We’re impressed by the excitement and enthusiasm shown by the children.

"By the time they leave education the trees will be almost to the tops of their heads and starting to take the shape of a young woodland, and by the time they raise their own children it will be teaming with wildlife. That’s a wonderful thing to remember you’ve been part of.”