A new community woodland has started to take shape between York and Selby.

A tree planting day was held to launch the Three Hagges Jubilee Wood on the Escrick Park Estate.

About 60 supporters, among them local residents, business owners and parish councillors, planted in the region of 300 young trees.

The first tree, a seedling from an ancient oak, was planted with the help of Kevin Thubron, sales director of the project’s main sponsor, Persimmon Homes Yorkshire.

The work started the transformation of nine hectares of formerly arable land into an ancient woodland, for the benefit of the public.

Ian Reynolds, an Escrick parish councillor and Selby District councillor was joined by Brian Keen, a Riccall Parish councillor and Vicky Cumberland, clerk to Escrick Parish Council.

Rosalind Forbes Adam, wife of estate owner Charles Forbes Adam, and her son Beilby, 25, have designed and masterminded the wood.

Mrs Forbes Adam said: “We are very encouraged by the success of our first planting day. Our goal is to create a beautiful woodland for the community to enjoy which will feature grassy glades and meandering pathways. We have selected a wide range of native wild flowers and grasses to help attract a diverse collection of wildlife.

"By the end of next year we plan to have planted about 10,000 trees and we very much appreciated that Mr Thubron, from Persimmon Homes Yorkshire, agreed to make the first dig. His support has been invaluable in helping to launch the project.”

Mr Thubron said: “I was honoured to be part of this exciting new project. We are currently building new homes in the Selby area and throughout the Yorkshire region and continually look at schemes that will benefit our residents as well as help create a pleasant environment in which to live.”

The wood is being planted in honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and is being set up as a not-for-profit enterprise, with assistance from the Forestry Commission and the Woodland Trust.

The estate team are charting the woodland’s progress and suggesting ways in which the community can support it at threehaggesjubileewood.org.uk