APPLE trees are being planted in a Worcester park in a bid to help save the planet.

The city will be “twinned” with the village of Sipson, which is earmarked for destruction if the proposed third runway at Heathrow airport goes ahead, when Worcester Greenpeace plants a mini orchard in Gheluvelt Park, Barbourne, Worcester, this weekend.

Environmental campaigners hope that the apple trees will align Worcester with Sipson and be “a symbol of solidarity” in the fight against climate change.

Earlier this month, celebrities and politicians planted an orchard in Sipson, which is 14 miles from Heathrow, as a mark of opposition to the runway plans.

“The people in Sipson have fought a brave campaign to save their village from the bulldozers and to save our environment from the climate-wrecking effects of a new runway at Heathrow, just as Worcester hopes to save itself from the damaging effects of flooding, made worse by climate change,” said Peter Robinson, of Worcester Greenpeace.

“We’re planting these apple trees in the park so we’re twinned with the new apple orchard on the runway site “We hope their orchard will be bearing fruit in years to come instead of being under tarmac, just as we hope ours will not end up under water or isolated in a constantly flooded part of the park.

“As long as their orchard stands then we hope our trees will grow as well, and show that people here care about the environment.”

Members of the public are being invited to attend the Worcester ceremony on Saturday by meeting in the park at 10.30am.

Five trees, a mix of Worcester Pearmain and Cox variety, will be planted at 11am. Any fruit grown on the trees will be free to local residents.

Campaigners claim that the expansion of Heathrow airport would become the single biggest source of carbon dioxide in Britain, threatening any chance the country could have of slashing its emissions.

Over the next few weeks, apple trees are being planted in communities across the country and unofficially “twinned” with the orchard in Sipson.