To help celebrate National Tree Week, BBC Breathing Places teamed up with Guinness World Records and the HTA for Tree O’Clock: a nationwide challenge to plant more than 653,143 trees within a single hour (11am – 12 noon on Saturday, 5th December 2009).

On Saturday 5^th December between 11am – 12 noon many people, schools, workplaces and community groups got involved in this groundbreaking event nationwide planting a lot of trees in just one little hour. People planted a native tree, hedge or fruit tree in their garden, or joined in one of the organised events at various locations around the UK.

The BBC has estimated that overall as many as 500,000 trees could have been planted. However, entries are still coming in and being counted, but so far over 230,000 trees are confirmed as planted during the Tree O'Clock hour a new world record was achieved in Northern Ireland. It was not a Guinness World Record in England, but is still an incredible achievement!

Tree O'Clock was a remarkable success, with thousands of events taking place and a significant number of trees planted at sites and in gardens across the UK.

The HTA worked with the BBC in promoting the event to garden centres across the country. Over 1,000 garden centres signed up to the project and distributed trees, provided by the BBC, to members of the public. So that they too could take part in the record breaking attempt helping to raise awareness about the importance of trees in our environment..

Any left over trees after Saturday 5^th December will continue to be distributed freely by participating retailers until they have.

For participating retailer details, Guinness World Record numbers and pictures, visit www.bbc.co.uk/treeoclock