The two-day volunteering event, supported by GreenPrints, involved helping over 500 recently planted trees to become established in their new home in the Centre's wildlife area.

* Click here to sign up to free news and sport email alerts from Middleton Today.

Tasks included clearing invasive weeds from around the trees, ensuring they were well supported and protecting them from the local rabbit population!

Volunteers were also able to find a use for old newspapers, sacks and cardboard boxes by using them around the base of the trees to keep weeds under control.

"We hope that the native trees we planted over winter will now grow into a strong, healthy woodland in this mostly industrial part of Leeds," said project officer Toby Roberts.

"It will provide an important new habitat for wildlife, and a great place for future visitors to explore at Skelton Grange Environment Centre."

Skelton Grange Environment Centre is an innovative environmental education project in South Leeds, which is a partnership between BTCV and National Grid with support from Leeds City Council.

It offers a range of fun, hands-on environmental education activities for schoolchildren which aim to encourage an interest in the natural world.

* More information can be found on the centre's website at: www.skeltongrange.org.uk