Row over 'fairy doors' removed from Pembrokeshire wood

Most of the fairy decorations have been removed, but this one remains

A row has erupted after fairy trinkets put in a woodland to add "a little bit of magic for children" were removed by a council.

The miniature doors, houses and decorations were left by people living near Withybush woods in Pembrokeshire.

But the county council has removed them, fearing they could harm animals.

One resident said the removal made her "blood boil", while another said it could have been done in a "friendlier way".

Angie Spolton-Jones, 41, from Haverfordwest, said some were memorials for children's pets and they added "a little bit of magic to the woods".

Some of the fairy trinkets were said to be memorials for children's pets

Angie Spolton Jones said the fairy doors were "far less damaging" than litter usually left at the woods

She said the removal made her "blood boil" as large amounts of litter were left behind.

"I try to get up there to litter pick as often as I can, and I didn't mind doing it, until I found that the council has removed the fairy doors and left all the rubbish," she said.

"The fairy doors are by far less damaging to the environment than the litter that is left there."

Maria Dullaghan, 33, from Haverfordwest, placed one of the doors in June.

"I do think it's a shame they've been removed," she said. "All the council had to do was ask that only biodegradable materials be used instead of just clearing everything away and upsetting a lot of people."

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Another mother described the fairy idea as "absolutely lovely" and that there could have been a "friendlier way" of dealing with the removal.

A Pembrokeshire County Council spokesman said it had received a complaint about a "significant increase in plastic, glass, lights, glitter and other materials" left in the wood.

He said the decorations were removed "purely for environmental reasons", with the materials posing a risk to wild animals if swallowed.

"However, we do recognise that doors in a few chosen locations would bring the wood to life especially for younger visitors," he said.

He added that other doors would be removed "if they are seen as hazardous to people or wildlife".