A SWINDON opticians is joining a national effort to plant one million trees by the end of 2019.

Leighton’s Opticians and Hearing Care is celebrating National Tree Week with the launch of their collaboration with The Woodland Trust.

From next week until the end of December, the town's branch will give the trust one pound from every ultimate eye exam and full hearing assessment appointment to go towards the eco-friendly effort.

In addition, customers visiting the branch will be given the option to donate £1 to the cause at the till.

CEO Ryan Leighton said: “Leighton’s is all about helping our customers live life to the full by hearing, seeing, and doing more.

"We want to do more to ensure the health of our natural environment which is crucial to all of our lives.

" Getting out in nature is great for mind, body and soul and we want to help maintain and grow woodland spaces across UK for future generations.

"From the opening of our first branch in 1928, our independent brand has made serving the community our focus.

"We appreciate how all of us benefit from the sights and sounds of nature and relish the role of planting acres of woodland throughout the UK this Christmas."

All 34 branches of the family-run group across the south of England will take part in the initiative as part of The Big Climate Fightback, and there will be a range of indoor and outdoor events on offer.

Leighton's employees will be venturing out with a spade on November 30 as part of The Woodland Trust’s mass public tree planting event and will continue to support them into 2020 with other initiatives.

The Woodland Trust hope to plant 60 million trees, which is almost one for every member of the UK's population, over the next five years.

A trust spokesman said: "We are calling on one million people to pledge to plant a tree to help us fight the climate emergency.

"We need to act now. Our woods can't speak for themselves. Together we can stand up for the environment and safeguard the UK's woodland heritage for our future.

"We want people to share their pledge on social media using #EveryTreeCounts."