A curator from Japan, whose mother witnessed the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, is nurturing seeds from a tree that survived the blast, which are now being grown in Glasgow.

Eventually, they will be planted in parks in the city as a symbol of peace.

The Ginkgo Tree seeds were gifted to Glasgow City Council as part of the Mayors for Peace initiative, which the city is a part of.

One of the staff at the Botanic Gardens, Hiro Shimai, from Japan, is nurturing the seeds.

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Hiro grew up around 20 miles outside Hiroshima and his mother, now in her 90s, witnessed the mushroom cloud after the USA dropped the bomb on the Japanese city in 1945.

Glasgow Times: The mushroom cloud created by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

The story of the race to develop the atomic bomb is the subject of the current hit movie Oppenheimer.

Glasgow Times: Oppenheimer comes out in UK cinemas on Friday (July 21).

Hiro moved to Glasgow this year to take up a post as curator at the Botanic Gardens.

He told how his mother remembers giving food and help to people as they fled the fallout from the blast.

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The seeds now being grown in Glasgow were harvested from a Ginkgo tree in Hiroshima which miraculously survived the bombing.

Glasgow Times:

Known as the Survivor Tree, it still grows in Hiroshima’s famous Shukkeien Garden.

The international Mayors for Peace project distributes seeds from the tree to cities around the world, to be grown on and planted out as lasting symbols of peace.

Hiro said: “I am very happy to be part of this project.

“Ginkgo Trees are very common in Japan. They are very hardy trees, but we weren’t sure if the seeds would germinate when we planted them.

"I was very relieved when the seedlings appeared.”

When the saplings are bigger and strong enough they will be planted in Glasgow parks where Hiro hopes they will exist for generations as a lasting reminder of Hiroshima.

He said: “Hopefully, they will grow to be tall and strong enough to be planted out in Kelvingrove Park where the trees could live for at least 100 years and remind everyone of the importance of peace.

"I hope no one ever forgets what happened at Hiroshima.”

Jacqueline McLaren, Lord Provost of Glasgow, said: “It is an extraordinary coincidence that Hiro works in Glasgow and is one of the staff taking care of the saplings.

“The trees, and everything they represent, are hugely significant and it must be especially important for Hiro.

“I hope the saplings grow tall and strong and can’t wait to see them planted out in a prominent place in the city where they will stand as living memorials to all those killed and injured by the bomb and also serve as a reminder about the futility of war.”