SOME trees could be felled in a popular park after Ash Dieback Disease is found

A survey of more than 1,000 trees in the park revealed that 77 are showing significant signs of the fungal disease, posing a safety risk to the public.

The council is now considering the best options to ensure the trees can be made safe.

Options include crown removal, crown reduction or felling.

Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member for Environmental Services Delivery, Cllr Adele Warren, said:

“We do not take the decision to remove trees lightly, unfortunately in this situation we do not have a choice.

“Ash Dieback Disease is a problem right across the UK and sadly dead or infected trees pose a real risk to public safely.

“This council is committed to planting more trees across the borough as part of our cleaner and greener initiative.

“We have committed £170,000 to tree planting and continue to bid for additional external funding from schemes such as the recent Trees for Climate project.”

Ash Dieback first appeared in the UK in 2012 and Bolton Council has already taken action to remove infected specimens in other parts of the borough.