MORE than a million people live in “tree deserts” with too little vegetation to protect them from air pollution, heat, stress and ill-health, campaigners warned today.

Trees can provide vital shade in urban areas, boost wildlife and reduce flood risks, but a survey conducted by the Woodland Trust found stark inequalities in the benefits enjoyed across Britain.

The trust found 15 of the 20 worst “tree equity scores” in towns and cities lay in the north of England, while places such as Winchester and Tunbridge Wells and topped tree-cover ranking.

In Scotland, Dumfries fared worst with 86 per cent of residents “at risk,” compared with Edinburgh’s figure of just 14 per cent.

Woodland Trust’s Caroline Gray said: “These new figures reveal an injustice that is silently affecting the health of millions of people.

“That can mean hotter homes and streets, dirtier air, higher rates of asthma and heart disease, and poorer physical and mental health.

“We need to stop seeing a tree as this nice leafy thing that’s a nice thing to have, and we need to start seeing them as critical green infrastructure.”