A giant ice sculpture of York Minster marked the launch of a year-long project to help save the planet.

The Evening Press is a major partner in PlanetYork, a national initiative to make York the most energy-efficient city in the United Kingdom.

The sculpture, carved in London and transported overnight in a refrigerated container, was unveiled and then allowed to melt during York's hottest day of the year to highlight the effect of global warming.

Throughout the year, residents and businesses in the city will be encouraged to make energy-saving improvements to their homes and factories, including cavity-wall insulation, loft insulation, double glazing, more efficient central heating and power conservation to show the world what just one city can do.

York was chosen for the project by the Government-backed project because of last winter's serious flooding - which experts say was a sign of global warming - and because of the Evening Press's reputation as a campaigning newspaper.

To mark the launch, the paper produced a tabloid supplement containing a variety of environmentally-friendly, energy-saving tips.

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