An army of volunteers will help plant trees in the new Telegraph & Argus Bradford Can...Cancer Research Appeal Commemorative Wood.

Tree-planting group Forest of Bradford has played a key role in the development of the site at the St Ives Estate, Harden.

About 1,000 trees will eventually grow on the 1.5 hectare plot as part of the fund to boost cancer research in Bradford.

People are being urged to buy oak, rowan or birch trees to mark a special occasion, as a memorial to a loved one or instead of sending flowers at a funeral.

Forest of Bradford, which is part of the Bradford Environmental Action Trust, was first involved when the commemorative wood was being planned.

Project officer Ian Butterfield said: "We have worked on similar projects in the past We had got an idea about what it should be like and we swapped from woodland to an arboretum."

He liaised between the Bradford Can...Appeal and Bradford Council's department of arts, heritage and leisure which owns St Ives. The area was designated and a planting plan drawn up.

Planting in the commemorative wood will take place on Monday, November 11, and in January and March next year. On those days people who have bought trees in the wood can plant them.

Forest of Bradford volunteers will be on hand to help out and plant trees for purchasers who don't want to do it themselves.

"There will be plenty of people to make sure the trees are properly planted and if families want to do it themselves, that's fine. We will offer help to everyone that comes," said Mr Butterfield.

He said that before the planting days, pits will probably be dug because the trees are quite large.

The purchaser of each tree will receive a certificate bearing the name of the person it commemorates for and a message. A plaque will be put up showing the location of all the trees.

Trees in the Commemorative Wood cost £25. To buy one, contact the Bradford Can...Appeal office on (01274) 235482.

The Forest of Bradford has been running for four years and aims to increase the amount of woodland in the district.

Mr Butterfield said this year the group aims to plant 50,000 trees, with 10,000 being planted to mark the Golden Jubilee.

He works with various groups to do tree planting.

Anyone interested in the Forest of Bradford or who wants to volunteer should contact (01274) 754922.

The Bradford Can...Appeal is aiming to raise £1million for cancer research at the city's university and Bradford Royal Infirmary.

The appeal currently stands at about £420,000 and once the £1million target is reached it will trigger another £5million funding from Cancer Research UK.