FIVE hundred saplings have been planted in an East Lancashire market town to replace trees killed by a deadly disease.

They will grown along roads in Clitheroe as part of a county-wide restocking scheme.

Trees in the area were decimated by ash dieback when it first affected the North-West in 2014.

Thanks to a grant of £83,692 from the the Local Authority Treescapes Fund, 500 small saplings have been planted along the A59.

Cllr Shaun Turner, cabinet member for environment and climate change and Cllr Carole Haythornthwaite, lead member for Economic Development and Environment, met up with members of the Lancashire County Council’s Treescapes team to plant the 500th tree.

A further 97 trees will be planted next to roads all across the county to replace trees felled due to the disease.

Cllr Turner said: “It is really special to us to start a large-scale rejuvenation in this area as it was ‘ground zero’ for the North West, where the deadly disease was first discovered in 2014.

“For highway safety, we were forced to cut down and clear affected trees. It feels like we are almost full circle to be starting with the replanting there.”

The council has been busy working to revive woodlands across the county.

Several urban community micro-woods. which grow faster than ordinary woodland, as well as community orchards will be planted thanks to a £150,000 grant from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs’ Coronation Living Heritage Fund, to mark the Coronation King Charles III.

A £61,237 grant from the Urban Tree Challenge Fund will also fund larger trees in urban greenspaces and school grounds in both Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen.