Who is the sycamore saboteur? Mystery vandal cuts down two 20ft trees lining park… providing £1m luxury homeowners better views of Dorset harbour
- The saboteur felled the trees using a chainsaw in bid to improve the visibility for the £1million houses in Poole
- Livid locals found the ‘disgusting and horrendous’ attack on Wednesday morning at upmarket Whitecliff Park
- It is the second time in less than six months that trees bordering the same green space have been targeted
A mystery vandal has illegally scythed down two 20ft sycamores to give luxury homeowners better views of a harbour.
The saboteur felled the trees using a chainsaw in a bid to improve the visibility for the £1million houses across Poole Harbour in Dorset.
Shocked locals discovered the ‘disgusting and horrendous’ attack on Wednesday morning at the upmarket Whitecliff Park.
It is the second time in less than six months that trees bordering the same green space have been targeted by a vandal.
Two oak trees on the northern edge of the park in September had poison poured inside their trunks in a bid to kill them. It is thought the trees had been blocking the sea views of the perpetrator – who was never caught.
A mystery vandal has illegally scythed down two 20ft sycamores to give luxury homeowners better views of a harbour
The saboteur felled the trees using a chainsaw in a bid to improve the visibility for the £1million houses across Poole Harbour in Dorset
The latest vandalism on the eastern side of the park shows how the houses now have better sight of the sea and surrounding greenery. The owners of two of the £1million homes denied any knowledge of the vandalism.
John Challinor, chairman of the Parkstone Bay Residents Association, said: ‘I just think it is horrendous and disgusting.
‘It could have been done for a number of reasons but there are some properties that do seem to directly benefit from the trees no longer being there. It isn’t subtle. They are cuts rather than breaks so it isn’t storm damage.
‘We believe it was done overnight so you would expect someone to have heard it. But unless somebody has got CCTV of it, it is almost impossible to prove who has done it.
‘We have worked hard to improve this area yet it seems members of our own community are fighting against us. It is a criminal offence and we have been in touch with the BCP Council about it.’
The two trees were young specimens that were no more than 20ft tall. Local councillor Ann Stribley speculated that they were killed before they grew big enough to block views of the sunset over Poole Harbour.
Shocked locals discovered the ‘disgusting and horrendous’ attack on Wednesday morning at the upmarket Whitecliff Park. Pictured: John Challinor and Councillor Ann Stribley
It is the second time in less than six months that trees bordering the same green space have been targeted by a vandal. Pictured: Councillor Ann Stribley
The latest vandalism on the eastern side of the park shows how the houses now have better sight of the sea and surrounding greenery. The owners of two of the £1million homes denied any knowledge of the vandalism
She said: ‘It is just pure vandalism – it is somebody’s selfishness. They were two smaller trees, although they were already quite substantial.’
She continued: ‘They were planted a few years ago to replace the older trees once they come to the end of their life.
‘In summer when they reached full bloom, they would have plugged the gap between the trees on either side. Maybe somebody wanted a better view of the sunset over the park and harbour. One can only speculate.’
Over the last 10 years there has been a spate of similar attacks on trees in the exclusive suburbs that surround Poole Harbour – where homeowners pay a premium for properties with a sea view.
The most high profile case was a businessman who in 2012 was fined £75,000 for arranging to have a 50ft tall pine tree felled because it stood in the way of the views of the harbour from his hot tub.
Local councillor Steve Baron said: ‘We can’t prosecute a row of residents who live opposite because they all may have a better view after the crime! Without proof you can’t point the finger at people.’
An alternative motive for the attack might be that it was the work of travellers wanting easier access to the recreation ground in the near future.
Mr Challinor said: ‘The trees not being there make it easier for people to get on to the recreation ground.’
Local residents denied any knowledge of the attack, although one homeowner, who lives directly opposite where the trees stood said she was glad they were gone.
The woman, who did not give her name, said: ‘When there are high winds branches come down – I have told the council about it.
Over the last 10 years there has been a spate of similar attacks on trees in the exclusive suburbs that surround Poole Harbour – where homeowners pay a premium for properties with a sea view. Pictured: The stump of one of the trees
An alternative motive for the attack might be that it was the work of travellers wanting easier access to the recreation ground in the near future
‘One of them cut my son on the cheek. It’s lucky (that they are gone).’ But one of her neighbours said it was a ‘bizarre act of vandalism.’
The elderly man said: ‘About two or three nights ago there was a lot of noise out on the street but we didn’t see anything. It sounded like a group of lads at the end of an evening. It’s a bizarre form of vandalism.
‘I don’t know why somebody would want to do it. It’s not like they’re in the way of the sea – if it was about that they’d have cut down one of the bigger trees.’
Councillor Mark Anderson, portfolio holder for environment and place at BCP Council, said the act of criminal damage had been reported to the police.
He said: ‘We are extremely disappointed to hear that two small sycamore trees have apparently been felled on the edge of Whitecliff Park.
‘The remaining pieces of trunk and branches will be removed as quickly as possible.
‘This sort of behaviour is totally unacceptable and we take these matters really very seriously. The incident has been reported to Dorset Police.’
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