Hull: Trees planted to mark Queen's reign 'stolen' days after her death
- Published
Debbie Morrell, of the Friends of Alderman Kneeshaw Park group, said the trees had been "dug up and stolen"
Trees planted in a city park to mark Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee have been stolen just days after her death, organisers said.
The trees were planted in Alderman Kneeshaw Park in Hull in June as part of the Queen's Green Canopy Project.
Debbie Morrell said she was "saddened" to discover they had been uprooted and "stolen" along with an accompanying commemorative plaque.
Humberside Police has been approached for a comment.
Ms Morrell, of the Friends of Alderman Kneeshaw Park group, said big holes had been left in the 17-acre park, near Holderness Road, where the trees, including pear, apple and silver birch, had been planted.
"It's just so sad," she said.
"After the trees were planted they almost became a symbol of the resilience of the community... a real symbol of people coming together to make certain that our park is becoming more of a beautiful space."
According to the group, "specific spade marks" can be seen in and around the holes where the trees were once planted
Ms Morrell said she noticed the trees had "vanished" on Monday, following Her Majesty's death at the age of 96 on Thursday.
"They've been dug up. You can see specific spade marks," she said.
"Somebody has purposely come on to the park with a spade and stolen the trees."
She said it was the latest in a series of anti-social behaviour incidents in recent months, with the plaque and one of the trees being "stolen" previously and then returned.
Ms Morrell appealed to anyone with information to get in touch.
"I just beg to their conscience to understand the £500 we spent on these trees we could have bought something else with it.
"But we felt that it would be good to begin our transformation of the park here."
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