Tree felling in Cornish woods to prevent disease spread

Hundreds of trees are also being taken down in Herodsfoot

Tree felling is to be carried out in Cornwall to try to prevent an infection spreading in Japanese larch trees.

The Forestry Commission is carrying the work at Idless Woods near Truro to fight the disease ramorum.

The commission said 27 hectares (67 acres) of infected trees were being felled.

The commission has felled 100 hectares (247 acres) of trees in the Glyn Valley, near Bodmin, to deal with other more infected trees.

Nearly 20 hectares of trees are also being taken down in the Herodsfoot area, near Liskeard.

The disease is caused by the fungus-like pathogen Phytophthora ramorum.

The larch trees were also producing very high quantities of the infective spores that spread it, the commission said.

The work means some areas of the forest are closed to the public for short periods for safety reasons.