Leicester: Infected trees to be felled over risk to public

Ash dieback has infected parts of Highway Spinney in Braunstone

Dozens of diseased trees are to be cut down in a spinney in Leicester because they are a danger to the public, council officials have said.

Leicester City Council said it would start felling trees in Highway Spinney, off Wyatt Close, in Braunstone, on Monday.

Officials said they identified more than 70 trees infected with ash dieback in the woodland area.

They said the trees' weakened branches were a "significant risk".

The spinney will be closed to the public between 07:00 and 15:00 GMT every weekday until 15 December to allow the felling to take place.

A lane closure will also be put in place in Hinckley Road, next to the spinney, from 13 to 17 November.

'Devastating'

The council's trees and woodlands manager Dave Jones said: "Ash dieback is a highly destructive fungal disease that shuts down the tree's vascular system and progressively kills it.

"We're systematically monitoring the 25,120 ash trees in our ownership but there's nothing we can do to stop the disease from spreading, other than by removing infected and dangerous trees such as these in Highway Spinney.

"The impact of ash dieback across the UK will be devastating, particularly here in Leicester, where ash trees are so common.

"We are, however, developing a long-term recovery plan that will help restore our landscape and ensure that Leicester's urban forest continues to be a major asset for generations to come."