MORE than 40,000 native trees and wildflowers have been planted and sown to form a community woodland in the Great North Forest.

The £225,000 planting project, creating St Bede's and Bright Lea woods, between Birtley and Ouston, has been funded by the County Durham Environmental Trust.

Extensive planting carried out by the Woodland Trust has helped to transform the site over the past 18 months.

Information boards detailing the types of trees and plants in the woods, including corn poppy and oxeye, have been installed to provide information for visitors.

Woodland Trust officer Gary Haley said: "The woods were established in 1998, with Bright Lea Wood forming one of the Woods on your Doorstep, a project designed to create 250 woods throughout the UK by the year 2000 to celebrate the millennium.

This area used to be arable land that was not open to the public - it can now be enjoyed by everyone."

In addition to sowing wild flowers, which will provide a spread of colour in the woodlands throughout the summer, the creation of Bright Lea Wood has also involved the installation of a wooden sculpture by artist Keith Barratt.