MORE THAN 500 people rolled up their sleeves to ensure Swindon a green future.

They helped plant another 2,000 trees towards the millions that will one day form the Great Western Community Forest around the town.

The latest planting session attracted all ages to a former landfill tip at Shaw which is gradually being transformed into a green oasis called Shaw Forest Park.

Among the varieties of trees and shrubs the volunteers planted were juniper bushes, aspen, pine, ash and wild cherry trees, which had been specially selected to match the soil conditions at the site.

One of the organisers of the event, Patrick Norris, praised the volunteers' efforts but emphasised they would need to stay committed to the project for years to come.

Some 15m trees need to be planted before the forest is finished, many in urban locations that are still within the forest area.

Overall, the forest covers an area of 140 square miles stretching from Wootton Bassett to Faringdon and from the Marlborough Downs to the River Thames.