Hull to get 8,500-tree wood as part of Northern Forest

More than 8,000 trees are to be planted in the UK's "least-wooded city" as part of the new Northern Forest.

Native species such as birch, willow and alder will be grown around a cycle track in Hull.

The land floods during the winter and the city council said the new woodland would help to slow the flow of water.

The Northern Forest initiative will see 50 million trees planted alongside the M62 motorway between Hull and Liverpool at a cost of £500m.

The planting is part of a project supported by environmental charity Trees for Cities, with funding from a utility company.

The charity said Hull was the UK's least wooded city, with only 0.2% of land covered by trees. The average for England is 10%.

Stephen Robinson from Hull and East Yorkshire Woods Partnership said the new woodland was the first part of a series of schemes to support the Northern Forest.

"We've got a number of projects coming forward with schools across the city and the East Riding of Yorkshire," he said.

"We do a lot of work with private landowners as well.

"It really proves the point that we need as many people as possible onboard to help us achieve those ambitious targets."