IN JUST one-and-a-half hours, a group of children planted 120 new trees in an Oxfordshire woodland.

Youngsters from Fritwell School took time out of the classroom to help plant the trees at Ardley Wood Quarry Field, off Somerton Road, Ardley with Fewcott, near Bicester.

Last Wednesday, 150 new trees were planted and sleeves were put on 50 coppice branches, thanks to £1,091 of funding from landfill credit via the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment.

Organiser Madeleine Gilpin, of Ardley with Fewcott Parish Council’s environmental committee, said about 30 pupils took part and were helped by staff from nursery Nicholson’s, of North Aston, which supplied the trees.

She said: “It was a terrific success, the children had a wonderful time. They must have planted 120 trees themselves. It really looks quite splendid.”

Pupil Amelia Dawkins said: “We were given some saplings and then Andy and Peter from Nicholson’s Nurseries helped us to plant them.

“We got protective sleeves, put them on the trees and we tightened them up. These protect them from rabbits and other animals eating them.

“It was fun finding the right trees and it was good to help the environment.”