Stars turn out for rainforest concert

British performers joined a star-studded benefit concert in New York last night to raise money for a charity which supports rainforest tribes.

Sting and Elton John led events at the city’s Carnegie Hall at the 13th annual fundraiser for the Rainforest Foundation.

James Taylor, Billy Joel and Bette Midler also performed as the stars reinterpreted hit songs from musical and film history in the Singing in the Rainforest concert.

Actors Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith hosted the event, which each year collects money for the charity, launched by Sting and his wife Trudie Styler in 1989 to support the indigenous populations of the world’s rainforests.

The foundation works on projects in tropical rainforest areas, helping local people and non-governmental organisations to protect the habitats.

It also lobbies countries to address the underlying causes of the destruction of tropical rainforests.

Sting is due to play a second benefit concert, at London’s Royal Albert Hall, on May 16.