Online game to help in fight against ash tree disease

Scientists in Norwich working to tackle a disease which is threatening to wipe out millions of ash trees are enlisting the help of online gamers.

A Facebook game has been designed in which players match colour sequences but also provide crucial data which could find trees resistant to the disease.

Scientists from the Norwich Research Park worked with a game company to design Fraxinus. Players match sequences of coloured leaves which also represent strings of genetic information from ash trees with chalara ash dieback.

The tree disease was first identified in Britain last year and is spreading fast.

Scientists say data from the game may be able to help provide information to breed naturally-resistant ash trees.