SOME prefer to start their weekends with a lie in, but one group of Finchley schoolkids had already planted hundreds of trees before 11am last Saturday.

As global leaders turn their attention to the environment at the Copenhagen summit, around 20 youngsters and their families rolled up their sleeves to make the world a greener place.

The 300 trees were planted at Martin Primary school in East Finchley at an event held to celebrate National Tree Week.

Pupils from Martin and from Ravenscroft School in Totteridge joined in with a BBC campaign to break the world record for trees planted in a single hour.

Both schools have been running environmental projects throughout this term.

Children at Martin Primary, who sit on an eco-council, have been working on recycling efforts and decided to hang up bird feed to attract more wildlife to the school grounds.

"They are thinking about what we are doing to the earth and how to improve and protect the school environment," said Rebecca Bakar, the teacher who runs the eco-council.

She added: "They come up with ideas and get involved with the practical work. It's giving ownership to the children. Planting the trees fitted in very much with that remit".

Ravenscroft students have been carrying out an energy audit across the school as part of an eco-mission programme.

The pupils, from different year groups, go around classrooms at break times to switch off any lights left on and are trying to identify areas where they can make a difference, from radiators to computers.

As well as formal trainings and weekly meetings,the youngsters are running poster campaigns and hoping to set up a vegetable garden, and even sell the produce in the school canteen.

"Our aim is to show that as a school we are environmentally friendly," said eco-mission coordinator and teacher Soulla Christodoulou.

"We're trying to embed the idea that sustainability is everybody's responsibility and to create awareness," she said.

"We want to make people realise that if everyone works together we can make a change. It's that ripple effect".

Across Britain 286,307 trees were pledged in the nationwide planting marathon.

Guinness officials are still confirming whether the world record was broken, but regardless, as one student said, the green-fingered kids will have made a difference.

"I joined the Eco-Mission Team because I want to make our school a better place," said Allen, a year nine Ravenscroft pupil.

"It was brilliant," said Alexei, also at Ravenscroft.. "In ten years I will come back and see the trees I helped to plant."