Darlington Football Club manager Dave Hodgson has launched a community woodland in the town.

He opened the Skerningham Community Woodland, which stretches over ten hectares along the banks of the River Skerne, near Barmpton, Darlington.

The woodland has been developed by North East Community Forests Development Company, to provide woodland walks and places for picnics.

It is an addition to the Tees Forest and the second to be bought and developed by North East Community Forests Development Company.

Planting of more than 12,000 trees was completed in March and includes oak, ash, birch, willow and hazel.

The woodland will also provide a home for the rare black poplar, which has been grown from cuttings by pupils in Darlington. This adds to another 9.5 hectares planted this year by the neighbouring landowner.

Mr Hodgson told guests at the launch that he remembered planting a tree for a similar scheme 20 years ago when he was a footballer, which he continues to visit each year.

The project was funded by Thompson's of Prudhoe and County Durham Environmental Trust (CDENT) landfill tax scheme.