HUNDREDS of trees have been planted alongside a busy York road in a bid to make the city a greener place to live.

The saplings have been planted alongside the Monks Cross Link Road thanks to donations amounting to £2,750 from local businesses including Herbert Todd, The Helmsley Group, Vangarde and Garbutt and Elliot.

Organiser David Liptrot, a York resident, said there was scope to plant trees on roadsides throughout the city.

He said: "City of York Council is currently planting on designated grounds around York but finding suitable sites is problematic. This initiative in the Monks Cross area highlights the possibility of planting on the many hundreds of miles of York’s verges. Here planning permission is already in the hands of the city and there is no expense in terms of buying land.Hopefully this might inspire other organisations to fund similar projects."

Further taller trees costing £750 will be planted early next year.