First of 99 new trees planted in Hull's Queens Gardens

A tree-planting programme has got under way as part of a £12m revamp of Queens Gardens in Hull city centre.

Hull City Council said it would take four months to plant 99 semi-mature trees which each weigh four to five tonnes.

The first tree was planted in March 2022.

Council leader Mike Ross said the new trees would ensure Queens Gardens continued to be "a peaceful and tranquil place".

The trees, which have an expected lifespan of more than 150 years, will replace the park's ageing poplars.

Mr Ross said the semi-mature Dawn Redwood and Swamp Cypress trees would make an "instant impact".

Watching a tree being lowered into position, Liam Haggarty, a landscape architect from contractor Southern Green, told the BBC: "Trees of this size are not planted very often."

In 2019 a council survey revealed the 27 existing poplars, planted in the 1930s, were nearing the ends of their lives.

Mr Ross said the decision to remove them had not been easy, but experts had warned there was a risk of them dropping branches as they deteriorated. They will be removed before the bird nesting season in March.

Officials said the replacements, which are about 40 years old, had been chosen based on their suitability for the location, their disease resistance and their ability to play a role in helping tackle climate change.

They would be planted on the outer edges of the gardens to provide "a more flexible space for large-scale events", a council spokesperson said.

Work began in May to revamp the park, enabling it to hold large events.

It will feature maritime-inspired installations and is expected to take around 14 months to complete.

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