TREE-PLANTERS from across the area were part of a valiant world-record breaking effort this weekend.

Dozens of Explorer Scouts from Essex and North London broke the world record for the most trees planted in one location in a single hour at Hainault Forest, only to be beaten by two others teams also competing on Saturday (December 5).

The team managed 20,312 trees in the allotted 60 minutes, beating the previous record of 18,124, but falling just short of the 20,326 managed by planters in Heartwood Forest in St Albans, Hertfordshire.

Their effort was also not far behind the eventual top record-breaking total of 26,422, set at a site on the banks of the River Foyle in Northern Ireland.

The record attempts were organised for Tree O'Clock, part of the BBC's Learning Breathing Places, a five-year campaign to encourage people across the UK to engage more with their natural surroundings.

Liz Cleaver, controller of BBC Learning says: “I’m delighted that so many people got stuck in and planted trees, many for the first time. This event will leave a real lasting legacy for local communities across the country as well as furthering peoples’ understanding of wildlife and trees.”

For more information, visit www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces.