‘A disgrace’: More than 100 trees cut down in Plymouth despite local opposition

Scores of trees destroyed in a few hours on Tuesday night despite petition to save them signed by 16,000 people

More than 100 mature trees have been cut down in the centre of Plymouth in a move campaigners said was reminiscent of the needless felling of thousands of trees in Sheffield.

Despite widespread opposition from local people, the Conservative council in the Devon city cordoned off the trees with metal fencing, sent in security guards and destroyed more than 100 using chainsaws in a few hours. The move came within days of a highly critical report on the needless destruction of trees by Sheffield city council – known as the “chainsaw massacre”. An inquiry report found the council was guilty of “a serious and sustained failure of strategic leadership”.