WORK has begun to create Hyndburn's very own 'Babes in the Wood' environmental project.

Local residents donned their gardening gear to plant trees in the new Hyndburn Millennium Baby Woodland created to commemorate children born in 2000.

Everyone who took part on Saturday received a certificate, with all the children given the chance to make their own commemorative badge.

The project, on a special site in Burnley Road, between Clayton-le-Moors and Altham, is the idea of the Prospects Foundation, a local environmental charity, which has been working with the St Mary's RIP Group and the Oswaldtwistle Prospects panel.

A spokesperson for the foundation said: "The planting had to be put on hold last year due to foot and mouth restrictions, but now we have the go-ahead and a fence is currently being constructed to stop animals in neighbouring fields from eating the young trees.

"The aim this weekend was to concentrate on planting the larger forest trees, such as oak and ash, and this week, children from local primary schools will help to plant smaller trees like silver birch, hazel and alder.

"The children will also learn about how woodlands develop in nature and what care the trees will need to ensure their growth."

At West End Primary School, Oswaldtwistle, children have been growing trees from seed, which will now be planted in the Millennium baby woodland. The spokesperson added: "We intend to finish the planting by the end of February, with a picnic area and information board to be put in place later in the year. The site will be open to the public, so people will be able to visit as often as they like."

The project has been made possible by sponsorship from the Cheshire Building Society, Lancashire County Council, the Forestry Commission, East Lancashire Woodlands, the Government's New Opportunities Fund and the Lancashire Environmental Fund.

The Prospects spokesperson added: "The Prospects Foundation set up the Trees for Hyndburn initiative to involve the people of Hyndburn in growing trees from seed for eventual planting at sites throughout the area.

"The wood is the first of many community woodland plantings which will be carried out through the initiative, and as well as increasing woodland cover, the project aims to raise environmental awareness, increase the variety of wildlife in the borough and make Hyndburn a better place to live."