THE friends and supporters of Benty Hey Woods turned out to celebrate the planting of trees from The Queens Commonweatlh Canopy.

Based off Rowan Grove, Bebington, Benty Hey Woods had been left in a state of disarray until long-term resident Wendy Taylor decided enough was enough.

She told the Globe: "I have lived here since 1953 and have always had access to the road that leads to the woods.

"Gradually over the years it went down hill until eventually I couldn't get out of my back gate so I took a pair of loppers and started cutting down the overgrowth.

"Somebody came up to me and asked what I was doing and I said well it is obvious I am making a footpath again, revealing what we've always had.

"More people came and said this is great and helped out, forming the Friends of Benty Hey Woods, so we just kept going and going until eventually we've cut through and have a footpath now which is 322.5 metres, three times around is a mile.

"I tell everybody that and we've got everyone from the elderly to young children who come and enjoy the space."

The woods has now been honoured with a donation of saplings from the Queens Commonwealth Canopy.

Wirral Globe:

These saplings, planted on November 26 and blessed by vicar Rev. Michael Loach from Christ Church Higher Bebington, will grow into healthy trees and remain at the site for years to come.

To mark the planting, an event was held which saw local school children, the estate's oldest resident, young cub members, the Friends of Benty Hey Woods and members of the community come together.

Speaking about the donation, Wendy said: "It means a lot to receive these trees as a lot of that are here have been neglected for so long.

"They were surrounded by holly and bramble that was our first thing to do - cut back on all the holly and removed the tonnes of rubbish that had been dumped.

"So we've really tried and worked hard but it is working out and paying off.

"It has been a journey but we're now at that point where the Woodland Trust came and said it's absolutely great what you've done, we're now part of their tree charter.

"As this is private land, we have had permission off the owners to do it, we've just done so well. We had a calendar this year, sold a 100 in ten days and it was fantastic.

"More and more people are coming all the time."

So what's Wendy's advice to people who want to do something in their local area?

"Go for it, if you want to do something and see a piece of land in front of you, go find out who it belongs to and push it and lets plant more trees because we need them."