CHILDREN have brought new life to a play area in Ascot by planting a tree to raise awareness of the environment.

Eight pupils from Ascot Heath Junior School planted a white silver birch at the Ascot Jubilee Recreational Ground which now stands along side cherry and weeping willow trees.

Sarah Theaker, headteacher at the school who attended the planting, said: "We had an excellent time, the tree was very healthy and much bigger than we expected.

"The children held the tree and put in the soil and got very muddy." The year six pupils, who are all representatives of the school council, originally wrote to Cllr Alan Kendall, at Winkfield and Cranbourne parish council, to raise awareness about the importance of tree planting to them. The council, who planted the other trees at the site, then invited the children to plant their own tree with the help of Paul Craven, head of grounds maintenance at the council.

The trees have been planted among the recreational ground in Goaters Road, North Ascot which was built as part of the Bracknell Forest Playbuilder scheme and will open on Saturday, June 26.

Miss Theaker added: "We would like to thank Winkfield Parish Council for supporting us.

"The children were allowed a preview of the excellent new play area which has trampolines and a zip wire." The birch tree will soon have a plaque put on it which reads that it was the pupils of Ascot Heath Junior School who planted it.