A COMMUNITY orchard has been completed.

The project, at Hey Green nature area in Lowerhouses, has now been planted out by teams of volunteers and brought new life to a neglected area.

A variety of old-fashioned English and Yorkshire apple trees and 100 blackthorn trees were given by Kirklees Council’s Social Forestry Project

And a gift from Homebase’s Huddersfield store of Victoria plum, conference pear, cherry, apricot, gooseberry and blackcurrant trees and bushes enabled the planters to set out different varieties.

Fruit lovers will also be able to enjoy picking bilberries as 250 plants were given by the Coalfield Heathland Project as part of its programme to regenerate lowland heathland across Kirklees, Wakefield, Barnsley, Rotherham and Sheffield.

Children from Lowerhouses Junior and Infants School and service users from Briar Court Social Care Day Centre helped in the planting out.

Clare Christian, of the Environmental Alliance, said: “Members of the Newsome Ward Community Forum, in partnership with the Environmental Alliance, adopted the site as a community project and came out in all weathers to clear the derelict land in preparation for planting the orchard.

“With the help of the 45th Newsome Beavers and Cubs and expert guidance from forestry officer Julian Faulkner the trees were planted and the orchard was created.

“A celebration day is planned for May. It will be open to all, with the date and details out soon.”

The project is part of a successful fundraising campaign to improve the once-tenanted agricultural land known historically as Hey Green and develop it as a community wildlife site.

The site became redundant as grazing pasture and was set aside by Kirklees Council with public access for all.