Trees put to use after Christmas

Costal rangers in East Sussex are helping locals make good use of their un-needed Christmas trees by using them to protect the local wildlife habitat.

Wind-erosion of the sand causes the dune habitat to diminish each year, jeopardising local species and increasing the risk of flooding.

But costal authorities have asked locals to bring their discarded Christmas trees to Camber Sands.

Volunteers have been using the fir and spruce trees to act as shelters for the dune sands, protecting species such as shore waistcoat and sand dart.

The trees are set out horizontally to act as a wind breaker, trapping the sand beneath.

Meanwhile, garden author Mark Diacono has been promoting his new book and will hold a Get Growing in Spring tour of his kitchen garden, allotments and poly-tunnels.

Diaconos exotic crop-growing practices have been seen by some as the future of UK gardening, according to the Horticulture Week.