Bury, along with several other districts across Greater Manchester are asking the Government help save trees.

Council leaders say joint plan, with resources backing it up, is needed to avoid a repeat of the Dutch elm disease of the 1970s which had a devastating impact on one of the UK's most widespread tree species.

Councillor Alan Quin, Bury cabinet member for the environment and climate change, said: "Ash die-back is now widespread, and more of our trees are at risk of failing, and falling."

"We have around 1,068,000 trees in Bury, of which 8-10% are ash trees: many of these are mature street trees.

"We are in danger of losing the vast majority of these to ash die-back.

"We need government help to pay for the removal of these trees and we must plant more trees just to catch up witht he ones we'll lose to Ash Die Back and other diseases such as Chestnut Bleeding Canker and Acute Oak Decline."

The cost of removing and replanting has been estimated at over £360m across GM, and been described as an 'ecological emergency' for the city region.

Council leader Eamonn O'Brien added: "Producing an ash die-back plan for the whole of Greater Manchester would be far more cost-effective and practical than each of the 10 districts producing their own plans.

"We're calling on the Government to provide the help that is needed before it's too late."