PRIMARY school children are learning to protect the environment by growing trees.

Pupils at Springside, Tottington, Our Lady of Lourdes and St Stephen's Primary Schools, in Bury, are growing their own Silver Birch trees in school from a special tree-seed growing kit.

The tree planting is part of a campaign to plant up to 35,000 native trees across the country this year.

Under the campaign a tree sapling is planted for every tonne of aluminium cans and foil recycled through local collection banks and kerbside by the end of June 2004.

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

Pupils are also being encouraged to take the recycling message home so that they can really make an impact on the number of trees planted.

And taking part in the campaign could mean further benefits for the schools. By taking part in the campaign the schools have gained the opportunity to enter a special prize draw to win £1,000 worth of science, sport or art-based educational materials by completing a class activity.

Each time aluminium cans and foil are recycled up to 95 per cent of the energy which is needed to make it from raw material is saved.

If one drinks can is recycled every day for a year enough energy would be saved to run a three bedroom house for three days.

To find out more about the tree planting campaign call 0845 7227722.