School children have planted trees to mark a blossoming international friendship.

Children from Mount Kelly College prep school were helped by the headteacher in planting Japanese cherry trees in the school grounds and more were planted on the wider college site and grounds.

The trees are part of a national project to bring blossom to all corner of the country in a show of friendship between Japan and the UK.

The Sakura cherry trees were planted by headmaster Guy Ayling with the idea they will beautify the landscape with their pink blossom.

Guy said: "The arrival of our Sakura trees has been warmly received, and they will stand as a lasting reminder of friendship, shared values and cultural connection between Japan and the United Kingdom.

“On behalf of Mount Kelly, and personally, I am very grateful for the opportunity to participate in such a meaningful and symbolic initiative.”

Guy also has a personal link with Japan, which makes the trees extra special.

A school spokesman said: “The headmaster has a personal affinity for Japan, having lived there for three years. It is also where he met his wife.

Guy added: “We look forward to watching them grow and to involving our pupils and wider community in understanding the significance of this project.

“We are honoured to be part of this national project and look forward to staying connected as the Sakura trees begin to flourish.

The trees are among over 8,000 Japanese cherry trees gifted to the UK to celebrate the relationship between Japan and the UK, with planting taking place in parks, gardens and schools across the country.

Twelve trees are being planted across the Mount Kelly site - half on the Prep site and half on the college site. Guy applied to be part of the project with the college’s 150th anniversary in mind and they will bloom in the anniversary year in 2027.

The project is a legacy of the Japan-UK Season of Culture 2019–2021 and aims to create a ‘wave’ of cherry blossom across the UK each spring.

The event united British and Japanese artists, technology experts, researchers and business, to spur on modernisation and inspire a new generation of innovators.

Artists shared technology, including virtual reality and robotics, and showcased the best of UK and Japanese creativity in the run-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The Sakura cherry trees are being distributed to over 1,000 sites in all four countries of the UK from St Ives to Aberdeen to Londonderry, Cardiff and several of London’s biggest parks.

To date, trees have been planted in all the counties of England and Wales, and planting continues in Scotland. Trees have been planted in Northern Ireland, the Orkneys, Tresco in the Scilly Isles, the Isle of Wight and the Isle of Man, and planting is ongoing, completing in 2027.

All of the varieties of cherry trees are of Japanese origin. The vast majority are three varieties, ‘Beni-yutaka’, ‘Tai Haku’, and ‘Somei-Yoshino’, which have been chosen for their variation in colour, timing and historical significance.