DOZENS of trees have been felled at a popular park prompting outrage from residents.

A portion of woodland at Bathpool Park in Kidsgrove has been cleared by its owner A J Green and Sons abattoir, to the shock of park users.

Newcastle Borough Council has now imposed a tree preservation order to prevent any further felling after being contacted by a concerned member of the public.

Although the land is privately owned, officers at the authority judged that the removal of the trees was affecting the public's enjoyment of the park.

A J Green and Sons, which runs an abattoir at Ravenscliffe House Farm, owns around 14 acres of land at the park, near the Peacock Hay Road entrance.

Margaret Astle, chairman of Friends of Bathpool Park and Labour councillor for Kidsgrove, said the site was now a scene of devastation.

She said: "I was shocked when I saw what they had done. It's just been total and utter desecration. It's absolutely horrendous. They must have felled around 60 trees.

"We're grateful to the borough council for acting so quickly and imposing the tree protection order so they can't fell any more.

"Greens might own the land but the public still has the right to roam."

Mrs Astle said she also had concerns over a barbed wire fence which the landowners had erected at the site.

The Friends of Bathpool park will be holding an emergency meeting within the next two weeks to discuss these issues.

Kidsgrove Councillor Reg Bailey, who is also a member of the Friends, said: "We've always got on well with A J Green and Sons in the past, so I'm surprised that this has happened now. We'd like it if they could come and talk to us and explain what it is they're doing.

"This is privately owned land but we were down there and about a dozen people, such as dog walkers and cyclists, came by, so this is clearly a valuable public amenity."

Lib Dem Councillor Marion Reddish, cabinet member for environment and recycling at the borough council, said officers at the authority had responded to the tree felling as soon as they became aware of it.

She said: "A site visit was carried out last Monday after the council was contacted by a concerned member of the public on the same day.

"The borough council made a tree preservation order on the remaining trees after being satisfied that their removal would have a significant impact on the local environment and its enjoyment by the public.

"The order makes it an offence to carry out works, damage or destroy protected trees without lawful excuse.

"The council is happy to look into the landowner's use of barbed wire when we receive complaints."

A J Green and Sons were unavailable to comment.