PENDLE Council has backed a call for the new Northern Forest to be extended

to include much of Lancashire including the borough.

Its Liberal Democrat deputy leader Cllr Tony Greaves was disappointed that when the government announced its plan to plant 50million new trees across the North of England it did not include the county in the draft map.

He proposed a motion to Pendle Council urging a campaign to being the new woodland to Lancashire which was passed unanimously.

Now Cllr Greaves, who has also raised the issue in the House of Lords of which he is a member, is to convene a meeting of interest parties in the county to campaign for his proposed change.

The resolution will be sent to Environment Secretary Michael Gove while Lord Greaves is seeking support of Lancashire’s MPs, county and district councils, the Forest of Bowland AONB and the Ribble River Trust.

Lord Greaves said after the Pendle Full council meeting: “I have had very useful meetings with the Ribble Rivers Trust, the Woodland Trust, and other people at Westminster.

“I am sure that all we need to do is find people round here who will take an interest in the project, which aims to plant 50million new trees on suitable sites in both towns and countryside over the 25 year period.”

A spokesman from The Woodland Trust, which will deliver the project has given including Lancashire in the forest which will run from coast to the coast a cautious welcome.