Green-fingered pupils from the Royal Hospital School in Holbrook have collected three heavy duty bags full of plastic waste from the Butley Low Corner woodland.

The eco-committee at Royal Hospital School worked with the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) working party, to organise the collection of plastic collars which had fallen off growing trees.

Hundreds of thousands of these tree guards are used every year, with most being made from single use plastic.

If left, the tree guards will slowly break up and degrade into micro pieces of plastic, causing local pockets of pollution or ending up in waterways, ultimately washing out to sea.

The students aged between 11 and 15, who are part of RHS' eco-committee, joined AONB 'Free the Trees' volunteers and filled three heavy duty bags full of plastic collars.

The project was coordinated by Chemistry teacher, Dr Ryan, who said: "At the Royal Hospital School, we're continuously looking for projects for our students to get involved in and give back to the local community. Suffolk is a wonderful place to live, work and play, so we must protect it at all costs."

Pupil, Polly Fitch, said: "Although it was hard work, everyone involved thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The bags of plastic collars were collected by the landlord that day and will be recycled for future use.

"It is a great feeling knowing that we have done something to help protect the local environment."

Neil Lister, countryside projects officer with the AONB, added: "It was an absolute pleasure to work with such a motivated, polite and cheerful group.

"Everyone has the opportunity to work to make the AONB and the environment better and the pupils grasped that opportunity, and the tree guards, with both hands."