BURY schoolchildren are branching out to take part in a nationwide tree-planting programme.

The project will provide the youngsters with an understanding of recycling as well as giving them an important link with their environment.

Springside, Tottington, Our Lady of Lourdes and St Stephen's primaries have registered for the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) campaign that aims to plant up to 35,000 native trees across the UK this year by getting everybody into the recycling habit.

A tree sapling will be planted for every tonne of aluminium cans and foil recycled through local collection banks by the end of June. The children are helping with this by growing their own silver birch trees in school from a tree-seed growing kit supplied by Alupro.

As part of their growing pack, the children will also be learning about the link between recycling and their environment and the importance of recycling to protect the world they are growing up in.

The campaign also offers the schools the opportunity of entering a special prize draw to win £100 worth of science, sport or art-based educational materials.

Alupro say that each time aluminium cans and foil are recycled, this helps save up to 95 per cent of the energy which is needed to make it from the raw material.

If a drinks can was recycled each day for a year, then enough energy will have been saved to run a three-bedroom house for three days.

Any other local school wishing more information about the tree planting campaign can ring 0845 7227722 or log on to theweb site www.alurpo.org.uk