They are best-known as the broomstick-riding beaters for Gryffindor's quidditch team.

But James and Oliver Phelps - who play the Weasley twins in the Harry Potter movies - traded their broomsticks for spades on Sunday.

The actors planted trees in The National Forest, in Leicestershire.

They were setting ash and birch trees - the same type of wood used to make flying broomsticks in JK Rowling's Harry Potter series.

Meet the Weasleys

Fred and George Weasley are twins They are the older brothers of Harry Potter's best friend, Ron They are members of the Gryffindor quidditch team, playing alongside Harry

They added to the five million trees which have been planted in the forest.

The National Forest covers 200 square miles of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire.

It incorporates the towns of Burton upon Trent, Coalville, Ashby de la Zouch and Swadlincote.

Its caretakers, the National Forest Company, aims to increase woodland cover from its initial 6% to about 33%.

At present the woodland cover is about 13%.

Land in the forest remains in the ownership of the private and public sector landowners but the National Forest Company gives grants to owners who convert land to forestry.