Legal action over trees in Middleton

Arun District Council's solicitors will bring a case against the individual who is claimed to have ordered the work and another person said to have carried it out.

Permission for the proceedings to start was given by members of the council's development control committee last week.

Compliance team leader Daniel Vick told them the alleged incident took place last August 8 on trees behind Ancton Way.

It was believed that 66 trees, covered by a tree preservation order, had been affected.

The council carried out an investigation into the matter. Mr Vick claimed that a mechanical digger was used to remove limbs from the trees.

The two people being accused of the alleged action, who have not been publically named, had been interviewed under caution by council officers about what was said to have happened.

Mr Vick said: "We believe, as a result of our investigation, that an offence has been carried out and a prosecution should take place."

Ignorance of a tree preservation order was no excuse for the work to be carried out on any trees which were covered by the protection, he added.

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