Next year, a park in Bolton will see beautiful fruit blossom after volunteers - including myself - planted town trees over a weekend this summer.

Tonge Park Avenue was chosen by council leader, Cllr Nick Peel, as the place to plant the trees to restore woodlands to the area and make an orchard for people to admire and pick fruit.

Cllr Peel was joined by volunteers as young as two on the green project in June, as we were all shown by Greater Manchester’s City Of Trees how easy it was to plant trees.

The City of Trees plant all kinds of trees all over Greater Manchester, working with businesses and councils to achieve their goal of planting one tree for every citizen within five years.

The Bolton News: Teddy and Sam Wyatt

Cllr Peel said: “I’m a self-taught gardener since I moved house six years ago and had to teach myself to be a gardener because it has got a big garden and so I have really gotten into it.

“I’m really enjoying myself today and I think I’ll have some aching muscles tomorrow morning.”

Among the trees being planted, there were gooseberries, apples and plums, and when they ripen, people living nearby are invited to pick them.

The Bolton News: Junior doctor, Iqra Sultan.

When asked if this was something that the rest of Bolton could see, Cllr Peel said: “Why not? What’s good for the people of Tonge Park is good for people across the borough.

“I would encourage other local councillors, because we have paid for this with our local funds that are in our control, so I would encourage them to come and have a look at Tonge Park once the project is complete, and I’m sure they will love it and want to do the same.”

The Bolton News: City of Trees volunteers

Even two-year-old Teddy Wyatt joined his dad Sam Wyatt with a shovel bigger than him, helping dig a little hole, put the little tree in place, and putting the soil back in, without harming a single worm but instead gently placing them away from the tree.

Sam said: “We live facing the park and had heard about it, so we wanted to help because we look out on it all the time and want to keep it looking good.

“Teddy loves it, and he knows how to do things because he does them at nursery and helps his mum plant flowers at home.”

The Bolton News: Councillors Emily Mort, Nick Peel, and Martin Donaghy,

Cllr Martin Donaghy and Cllr Emily Mort were also at the park and planted trees with Cllr Peel.

I planted my own tree along with junior doctor at the Royal Bolton Hospital, Iqra Sultan.

All the trees planted were town friendly and not forest trees.