A patch of land in Low Row will become a bio-diversity sanctuary thanks to a group of school children, local residents, and the Woodland Trust.

Pupils at Lanercost Primary School spent all-day on Tuesday planting hundreds of different trees in the field to help to revitalise the habitat space.

Oak, chestnut, crabapple, hawthorn, and hazel trees will one day fill the field to provide oxygen for future generations.

Kate Turnbull, a teacher at the school, said: “Our current topic at the moment is all about looking after the local environment and about the impact we have on the world.”

The children enjoyed the practical work which involved digging holes, planting the trees, and attaching the tree supports to a wooden pole.

They were keen to explain what it was that they were doing and why it was so important for the future.

Ollie Mitchell, 7, from Gilsland, remarked: “We’ve been planting trees to help the wildlife because they have recently lost their homes.”

Scarlett Hage, 8, from Brampton, added: “We’ve been planting trees to make sure we can have oxygen around this place and so animals can have homes and food from the trees.”

It is through the generosity of Jane Timbers that the children and the Woodland Trust are able to turn the field into a thriving nature site.

Jane owns the land which used to have sheep in - but she moved them to a different field so this project could get started.

She said: “I just thought it would be a nice thing to do, to leave my mark on the planet.

“They’re the ones who are going to benefit from this, not me.

“They have all been so enthusiastic, it’s just amazing what a job they have done.”

The Woodland Trust was on-hand to explain to the children why “trees are fun” and how their actions would help the future.

650 trees were planted on Tuesday but over the last ten years, the Woodland trust as planted more than two million in Cumbria.

Peter Leeson, Partnerships Manager for the Woodland Trust in Cumbria, said: “I think everyone is aware now of the bio-diversity crisis that we’ve got and the last couple of year’s people have become even more concerned about the climate as well. “We’ve got a fantastic school group here and we’re giving them an opportunity to plant trees for their future.

“These trees will take up carbon dioxide, they will emit oxygen, they will help to balance water locally and they will provide homes and habitats for animals and beasts.”