Trees planted in East Oxford will provide "a legacy for the future".

The three trees were planted in Manzil Way, off Cowley Road, to replace cherry trees which had to be cut down following work on the new East Oxford Health Centre. The silver lime, walnut, and 'flaming' Liquidamber Sturaliflva, were paid for by Oxford City Council's east area parliament, at a cost of £450.

Chairman Nuala Young, pictured with John Purves, who has lived in Cowley Road since 1939, said: "When the health centre was being built they dug a trench by the line of cherry trees. A year or so later, the trees were dead or dying, so they had to be taken out.

"When we said we would like them replaced, we were told there wasn't a budget for them so we voted to pay for them ourselves."

Mrs Young said: "I don't think I will see the walnut tree fully grown in my lifetime, but it is nice to think we are doing something that goes beyond us - and leaving a legacy for the future."

She said a number of people had raised concerns about the trees being removed and the committee had worked with local residents to choose the best saplings to replace those which had been destroyed.

Initially, the council had contacted the Southern Gas Network to seek payment for the new trees but she said it became difficult to establish who exactly had dug the trench, so the committee agreed to pay in full.