David Heath, MP for Somerton and Frome, visits Mount Stewart Junior School

A government minister rolled up his sleeves to help children at a Kenton junior school plants fruit trees as part of a charity initiative.

David Heath MP, the Minister for Forestry, joined year four pupils at Mount Stewart Junior School to show off his green fingered skills yesterday (Monday).

The school in Mount Stewart Avenue is taking part in the Trees for Cities project – a London wide charity project supported by the Government’s Big Tree Plant.

The project is pumping �4million into planting one million new trees d in towns, cities and neighbourhoods by 2015.

Mr Heath, Lib Dem MP for Somerton and Frome, said: “The Big Tree Plant is an opportunity for everyone to help make neighbourhoods attractive and healthy places to live. It’s wonderful to see young people learning to plant and care for trees.

“It has been embraced by communities across the country and has proved to be a highly successful partnership between government, civil society partners and conservation organisations including Trees for Cities.”