A man arranged for more than a dozen protected trees to be cut down or damaged by someone he saw on social media.

Sharjeel Iqbal, from Lostock, paid £2,000 to an individual identified by the council as 'George' back in November 2022.

Around six months later a complaint came in to the council more than a dozen protected trees were cut down or damaged despite no decay or disease, a complaint confirmed after a visit by council officers to Regent Road.

A contravention of a Tree Preservation Order is an offence under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

Iqbal, 36, admitted he made no enquiries about the trees and said he was unaware these were protected trees.

At Bolton Magistrates' Court on February 26 he was slapped with a fine and court costs to a total of £4,280.

Akhtar Zaman, Bolton Council's cabinet member for regeneration, said: "Felling protected trees without permission is illegal and can cause irreparable harm to wildlife habitats as well as hampering our fight in tackling climate change. 

"Such orders are intended to protect specified trees and to prevent, in essence, the removal or damaging of trees unless permission has been obtained from the planning authority."

For information go to the Bolton Council website.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.