Grandad collects 10 million seeds for every tree to replant into forest

By George Mathias via SWNS

A pensioner has collected 10 million seeds belonging to every tree type in the UK in a bid to save the planet.

Brian Mountford, 78, spent two years building up the mammoth collection - stuffing oak, ash, beech and birch seeds in his pocket as he took walks around Lincolnshire

He began collecting in the summer of 2022 after reading about the decline in butterflies and bumble bees in the UK and began storing them in his garage.

Brian, who suffers from arthritis, spread all his collected seeds out on sheeting over his garden every sunny day to dry them.

And he bought an extra fridge to keep them cool because they need to chill for a month before they can germinate.

Now, the retired inventor has taken the lot to the John Hall Wellness Garden - a community wellbeing garden in Leek, Staffordshire, run by Rethink Mental Illness.

There they will be planted by volunteers - spouting into thousands of trees for the future.

As well as storing them in his garage he also had to store some of them in his loft in the home he shares with his wife of 57 years Pauline, 77, an ex-secretary.

Brian then planted the seeds in any container - including Coleman's mustard tin, milk bottles, and yogurt pots.

He even has a small forest planted in an old kitchen sink.

Brian, from Leek, Staffs., said: "I have collected almost every kind of tree seed in the UK - it must me some kind of record.

"It has always been my plan over these past two years to do some good for the world.

"The world needs more people planting trees."

He aims to help spread the word about the importance of nature to children at the Wellness Garden and is currently in the process of transporting the seeds by car to the Centre.

Brian said: "It's like 10 million wishes - as when you plant a tree you should make a wish."

Brian says it may be his last ever haul of seeds as he is struggling with pain in his knee and shoulder.

"My brain is still very active but body - less so.

"I'm waiting for operation on my knee and I’m struggling to move about as much now and certainly can't push wheelbarrows anymore."

Brian, who has a daughter and two granddaughters, said he grew up as one of eleven kids, left school at 15, and started as a barrow boy.

He then turned his attention to inventing, writing, and art.

He said: "I like to have a try at anything.

"My health isn't great but I like to keep busy and I'm very active in my mind.

"I'm just a normal old age pensioner, who is passionate about trees. "