Volunteers from Sidmouth Arboretum have been working with two local schools to introduce the children to the trees in their local environment.

The volunteers teamed up with Sidholme Hotel to work with years five and six from St John’s School.

Arboretum chairman Jon Ball led the classes on a tree identification walk from their school in Broadway to the hotel.

Sidholme also has a historic collection of trees including giant redwood, Monterey pine and some splendid copper beeches.

At the hotel, arboretum members Penny Ball and Ed Dolphin showed the children how to use identification keys to record different types.

The arboretum team also helped with Newton Poppleford Primary School’s Science Week. The school has a nature area with many different trees.

Ed Dolphin said: “It was a real pleasure to work with the children, the future of the valley’s trees will be in their hands.”