DAN Chesney remembers many cold, wet and windy games of football on his old school field.

But now he has taken steps to make sure future students do not have to battle the elements whenever they take to the playing fields.

Yesterday, Mr Chesney returned to Rivington and Blackrod High where he worked alongside pupils to plant 350 trees that will act as a windbreak and may make sports lessons a little warmer.

Mr Chesney, aged 26, is the marketing manager for Middlebrook-based medical reports company Premex, which gave the trees to the school.

When his company decided to take part in the tree planting project to mitigate their impact on the environment, Mr Chesney thought it would be a great idea to create the windbreak at his former school.

Mr Chesney said: “Premex use more than five million pieces of paper every year, so we want to reduce our impact on the environment, but also create a more ecologically diverse future for the communities surrounding our headquarters.

“Personally, I’m very proud of the project. It’s a real demonstration of us giving something back to the local community.”

Children braved the rain and mud to plant the trees along two sides of the school field on the first day of National Tree Week.

Construction students from the school’s Power Wave Skills Centre dug the holes before other pupils took turns planting the trees.

Each sapling is supported by a bamboo cane and protected by a plastic sheath to prevent animals eating and damaging the trees before they have taken root.

The weather was wet and the pitch was soggy, but the children loved getting their hands dirty as they planted the trees.

Headteacher Tony Purcell said: “The trees are a wonderful gesture. They will create a hedgerow that will shelter our students and provide a home for flora and fauna in abundance. We plan to use this area as a diverse natural habitat for students to learn from.” Premex organised the day with the help of The Tree Appeal, a national organisation which helps companies plant trees to benefit the environment.

Tree Appeal director, Ken Whitley, said: “Morally, I believe companies have a duty to improve the lives of those they touch, employees and their families as well as local neighbours and society at large.

“This planting shows just how we can all go one step further and make a serious and tangible contribution to the environment.”

National Tree Week