A new “national forest” is to be created across a swathe of the west of England from the Cotswolds to the Mendips, the Government has said.

The new “Western Forest” project will create 2,500 hectares (6,200 acres) of woodland by 2030 across five priority areas in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Bristol, with plans to plant 20 million trees by 2050.

The Government said the announcement was a first step in meeting its manifesto commitment to create three new national forests, and would bring trees and woodlands closer to people in urban centres such as Bristol, Gloucester and Swindon.