Hundreds of pounds have been donated towards a charity dedicated to protecting the town’s beloved trees.

Sidmouth Arboretum’s treasurer Ed Dolphin and chairman Jon Ball happily accepted a cheque for £298 from the Waitrose Community Matters team.

Diana East, of Sidmouth Arboretum, said it was an excellent outcome and thanked the shoppers who voted for them with their green chips at Waitrose.

She added it was a welcome addition, as this autumn they wanted to start works, with the district council, to label some of the trees in Blackmore Gardens, at Knowle and on the town’s tree trail.

Some may even include QR codes to link them to the website where fuller details can be given about their history.

She said: “Labelling is an easy way to learn to identify trees, and encourages people to find out more about trees.”