CONSERVATIONISTS who branched out with a successful tree preservation scheme have been honoured for their work protecting woodlands.

Durham County Council was the only North-East local authority to receive an award during a ceremony at the House of Lords.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Lord Heseltine handed out the accolades to bodies at the forefront of the Tree Council's National Grid Tree Warden Scheme.

Tree wardens and scheme coordinators joined officials and politicians at a reception for councils and voluntary organisations which have been running warden networks on behalf of the Tree Council for more than a decade.

The Tree Council's launch of the national Tree Warden Scheme in 1990 sparked an enthusiastic response.

Dave Ranner, a tree warden and voluntary ranger coordinator for the county council, said the honour was just reward for the work carried out.

He was joined at the ceremony by Bill Fawcett, a tree warden since the scheme began in County Durham.

Jon Stokes, the Tree Council's director of community projects, said the awards were a means of thanking the commitment shown.