AROUND 2,000 wildflowers and 200 trees are set to transform a busy road into Rawtenstall into a ‘wildlife corridor’.

Volunteers from Rossendale Civic Pride will be donning high-visibility jackets to plant wild garlic and bluebells along with crabapple, wild cherry and conifer trees next to the A682, which leads on to the A56 bypass, on Sunday.

The team, whose hard work earned Rawtenstall two silver gilt RHS Britain in Bloom awards last year, will also be adding flower beds to three lay-bys to spruce up the appearance of the road, which is popular for commuters heading to Manchester.

Camden Blomerley, secretary of the group, said: “We started planting along there in 2011.

“On Sunday, we will have planted 1,000 trees in total.

“We’re planting trees and wild flowers which attract birds, ladybirds and bees.

“The ladybird and bee populations are depleting, and the plants they are attracted to are beautiful colours, which everyone can enjoy.

“Goldcrests are wonderful-looking birds, and we have a small population of them in the Valley, so we’re going to plant some conifers, which are the only trees they will go on.

”It gives you a really happy and satisfying feeling planting trees and seeing them grow.

“The A56, which leads to the A682, is a real state, which is what the A682 used to look like before we started work on it.

“We’ve done things like put bins in the lay-bys, so there isn’t lots of litter there from people, mainly lorry drivers, stopping there and throwing rubbish out of the window.

“If someone’s coming from Manchester to look at the area, they will get a terrible impression from the road, which is what we’d like to improve.”

The group is a registered charity and the plants and trees have been paid for with donations.

If you would like to join the planting session, meet at New Hall Hey roundabout at 10am on Sunday.

High-visibility jackets will be provided.

For more details, email civic.pride.rossendale@gmail.com.