THE National Farmers Union (NFU) is encouraging farmers in the Ludlow and Tenbury areas to pay tribute to the Queen.

The NFU is urging its members to plant diamond-shaped plantations of native hardwood trees on their land to mark The Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

NFU President Peter Kendall said The Queen had been a champion of farming throughout her 60 years on the throne.

He said: "We decided to encourage our members to plant small, diamond-shaped plantations of native hardwood trees.

“I am delighted that the Woodland Trust is supporting our initiative, offering help and support as part of its Jubilee Woods project which aims to plant six million new native trees across the UK.

"I would encourage NFU members to record their trees in the Trust’s Royal Record of Jubilee trees, which will be presented to The Queen in 2013."

NFU member can email jubileediamonds@nfu.org.uk to register their support.