Hundreds of volunteers have taken part in the annual Christmas Tree Planting event over the last two days. The buried Christmas trees will now act as the first line of defence from the sea, protecting our local Fylde coastline. The recycled trees help to capture wind-blown sand to increase the dunes as a wildlife habitat and flood defence.

The recycled Christmas trees play a vital role as the branches and pines from the trees stick out of the beach towards the prevailing wind direction and trap sand particles as they drift ashore, helping sand to accumulate and eventually build new embryo dunes.

The trees were once again donated to various drop off points along the Fylde coast and are then used to create sand dunes on the foreshore of the local beaches.

This fantastic conservation project is organised each year by Fylde Sand Dunes, Lancashire Wildlife Trust and Fylde Council.

Lytham St. Anne’s News thanks everyone who participated in this first rate annual event.