Leicester City football legend Steve Walsh has swapped his football boots for wellies as he joined local councillors for a landmark tree planting session.

Walshy joined Councillor Rob Wann and Councillor Vi Dempster yesterday at Hamilton Community College in Leicester to plant a two-metre tall oak – the 3,000th new tree to be planted in the city since 2007.

The city council has pledged to plant 10,000 new trees in the city's parks, school grounds and streets by 2011 – and is well on its way to hitting that target.

Coun Wann said: "With 3,000 trees planted, we're nearly a third of the way there.

"What this project is all about is improving the environment for people – and improving the wider environment by having more trees in the city to help absorb carbon dioxide.

"Although we're planting a range of species, we're aiming to use native trees – like the oak – wherever possible."

Students from Hamilton Community College joined the trio to help plant three other trees – a horse chestnut, a silver birch and a hornbeam.