ANGER AS 'UNSAFE' TREES DESTROYED

Mature trees, including sweet chestnuts and yews, are being chainsawed because Wealden officers say they are not safe.

But villagers disagree and have taken up cudgels against the council's axemen.

The trees came under threat because an old brick wall around the picturesque Saxon churchyard of St Peter and St Paul has been demolished and is being rebuilt.

Local residents were told the trees must come down because they threatened the safety of site personnel, the general public and the church itself.

But villagers disagree.

Church Path resident and former naval officer Roger Paine said: 'This is licensed vandalism.

'There is nothing wrong with these beautiful and healthy trees.'

He said the only reason the decision was taken was because demolishing the wall exposed some of the tree roots.

'This reminds me of the Mad Hatter's tea party where so-called reasons are given for everything but none of them make any sense.

'Trees in these surroundings are part of the quintessential fabric of a country churchyard and should be preserved at all costs.'

One of the yews would have been a mature tree when the bells rang out to celebrate Nelson's victory at Trafalgar, he added.

Residents of the Grade II listed cottages in Church Path say the action is ironic when they cannot replace tiles or windows without seeking Wealden's permission.

Hellingly Parish Council chairman David White stressed the importance of preserving the county's yews. More than half in Britain had been lost since World War II.

He complained to Wealden with the result that a yew was drastically lopped instead of destroyed.

A Wealden spokesman said the work at Hellingly was essential.

'The prime problem is with the retaining church wall which was unstable, potentially dangerous and needed to be rebuilt in certain sections.

'The structural roots of the yew and chestnuts coincide with the back of the original wall-line and cannot co-exist.

'The wall needs to be replaced because the earth bank which requires to be retained is elevated and forms the edge of the burial area.

'We have examined carefully all options short of felling but none of these are considered appropriate.'