Metro Mayor Dan Norris inspected a 'tree-making green factory' as he helped to dig four soil beds for one thousand saplings.

Mr Norris joined More Trees Bath and North East Somerset, a not-for-profit community group, working to protect and plant trees in the local area. Set up in 2008, they are run entirely by volunteers and have planted approximately 8,000 trees. He set about sieving the soil in the special animal-proofed area protected by six foot fences to ensure wildlife such as deer and badgers are not able to eat the young vulnerable juicy saplings.

Hugh Steele, on whose land the tree factory is being created, told Mr Norris how a welcome increase in tree planting across the country is causing more nurseries to run out of stock and that there can be a carbon footprint associated with shipping trees across the country making a big difference to sustainability.

Mr Norris also heard how the West of England has one of the lowest percentages of trees per square mile and that increasing this number is vital to hit the region's aim of net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

Dan Norris said "The West of England will need more trees if we are to reach our ambitious target of net zero carbon by 2030. Rather than transporting them across the country or from abroad, which also creates carbon, it is great to see a 'green factory' producing over 1,000 trees for our local area."