More than 150 trees have been rescued from death by weedkiller and given new life by green-fingered volunteers in Bradford.

The young trees have been salvaged from waste ground owned by Transco, the gas pipeline operators, which has given them to the Bradford Community Environment Project.

In previous years the saplings were simply dosed with weedkillers, but this year they will play a part in the Bradford Festival by being made into an 'urban garden' in Centenary Square before being donated to schools and groups for re-planting around the district in the autumn.

The rescue effort has been co-ordinated by Jane Robinson, of the Bradford Community Environment Project (BCEP), together with Cath Long of the Forest of Bradford project, working with Transco.

Rob Walsh, of Bradford Festival, said: "This year's festival theme is the Urban Garden which includes regeneration and the greening of the city. We will be turning Centenary Square into a version of the urban garden and it's a theme that will continue through several festival events."

Cath Long said: "Next November, when they are ready to plant out, they will be given to schools and community groups - they will go to good homes in the end.

"Instead of just killing these trees Transco are passing them on to community groups. It helps, because there are a lot of areas in Bradford where people want new trees planting near where they live."

Gary Haley of Transco, who is responsible for the operation, said: "It seemed such a shame to kill these young trees which had simply self-seeded in an inappropriate place on our operational sites.

"We're really pleased that these small trees will now grow into maturity, and make Bradford more environmentally pleasing.''

The company will encourage adoption of this policy throughout the country.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.