Volunteers plant community orchard, provided by South Kesteven District Council, in Londonthorpe and Harrowby Without Parish near Grantham

Parish council members have planted a community orchard.

Members from Londonthorpe and Harrowby Without Parish Council have planted their community orchard, which is part of South Kesteven District Council’s Community Living Heritage Fund scheme.

Eighteen trees have been planted in total - 14 paid for by SKDC and four by the parish council - in an area of waste ground on the Withambrook amenity playfield.

A contractor was brought in with a digger to assist in clearing the area of brambles, but a small group of volunteers carried out the main work.

A parish council spokesperson said: “The energetic volunteers dug and prepared the holes ready for planting when the trees arrived, so they could be put into the ground as soon as possible.

“We are extremely grateful to have been chosen for this opportunity to join in this initiative and thank those at SKDC who made this possible.”

The trees planted were a mix of dessert apples, cooking apples, pears and plums. They are also from the local and surrounding area, including Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Nottinghamshire.