A new woodland area which will become a place for grieving families to remember loved ones has been brought to life.

Members of the Land for Coz project planted the very first trees which will make up a memorial woodland area on a plot of land off Halstead Road in Gosfield.

The land was purchased by the Powell family earlier this year in memory of their much loved son and brother, Corran 'Coz' Powell, who was tragically killed, aged 21, when a Braintree driver high on drugs and drink ploughed into the car he was driving in December 2014.

As well as hosting music events and survival courses on the land, the Powells have now begun work on a woodland memorial where they and other grieving families can plant a tree in memory of loved ones.

Mrs Powell, from Gosfield, said: "It's been a long process and it's something that has evolved over the years.

"It started when me and my eldest son and I visited a woodland burial a month before Coz's crash. I just remember thinking it was so bleak and unnatural. They were all lined up in rows and you would just be having to count which row and column your loved one was in to find them.

"We came up with this idea because we wanted to make something that is a lot more natural and friendly. It will be a place to reflect and think about those you have lost.

"We really want to make it a lovely peaceful place which isn't so regimented.

"We planted something like 20 trees in just three hours. It's very exciting to think we have started on the woodland."

As well as planting a tree in memory of Coz, volunteers joined the Powells in planting trees for other families remembering their own loved ones.

The Powells are keen for all members of the public to get involved with the scheme and they are also hoping to get permission to allow people's ashes to be buried alongside their tree.

Mrs Powell added: "It's something we need to work out and get permission for. At the moment we are just looking at planting the trees so they can start growing.

"We want the land to be a special place for everyone and ideally for all the trees to be planted in honour of someone."

Anyone interested in dedicating a tree to a loved one should search for 'Land for Coz' on Facebook.