RESIDENTS of a street in Launceston have expressed their disappointment that one of their new trees has been vandalised, writes Amy?Dennis.

The Liberal Democrat Cornwall Councillor for Launceston South, Jade Farrington, said she has spent more than a year trying to get the saplings planted along Dunheved Road, with the wait attributed to getting ‘the right planting seasons’.

She added: “A lot of work has gone into it.”

A team from Cormac has planted a mixture of cherry and ginkgo saplings along that road over the last couple of weeks. Six planting pits were installed and Cornwall Council’s inspection schedule for Dunheved Road is currently being worked through, which may highlight some additional tree planting.

Over the weekend of October 24 and October 25, one of the ginkgo saplings was snapped in half.

Cllr Farrington said this will be replaced, when the further saplings are planted.

Travina White, press officer for the Dunheved Residents’ Association, said it was ‘mindless vandalism’ that would have taken ‘some effort’ — the sapling practically snapped in half.

She added: “We are trying to get the road back to what it was before — full of nice trees. We are trying to revert it back to a tree-lined road.

“It’s not exactly the Great Train Robbery, but it’s frustrating.”

Mrs White added of the council having to replace the vandalised tree: “At the end of the day it’s tax payers that are paying for it.”