PARENTS and pupils from West Linton Primary School dug deep on Sunday as part of the PTA Winter Fair.

Almost 200 native trees were planted on the edges of the new school's playing fields.

As well as beautifying the area, the deciduous delights will also create additional habitats for wildlife.

More than 30 volunteers planted a total of 165 rowan, oak, silver birch and cherry throughout the day.

PTA chair Andy Kerr told the Peeblesshire News: “We had a wonderful time planting our lovely trees and it is thrilling to think they will be around for generations to come.

"Many thanks to our band of volunteer planters who kindly came out to help on a cold day, and a huge thank-you to Woodland Trust Scotland and their supporters for the free trees.”

Over half a million native trees from the Alba nursery outside Edinburgh have been distributed throughout the UK this month – including 54,330 to Scottish schools and community groups.

West Linton Primary School is delighted to be part of the Woodland Trust’s single biggest ever distribution of free trees.

A spokesman said: "Many thanks to our PTA who incorporated the tree planting into their Winter Fair.

"Thanks also go to lots of our families who supported the Fair and braved the cold winter winds to complete the planting.

"The trees are going to be a great addition to our school grounds and we will enjoy watching them grow and learning all about the different species and the wildlife they will support."

The sapling planting was part of a mass countrywide event by The Woodland Trust with support from Sainsbury’s, IKEA, the People’s Postcode Lottery and Yorkshire Tea.

Clara Govier, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, added: “We are delighted our players are backing this mass planting around the country, which does so much to enrich the environment and brings communities together to do something wonderful.”