Disappointment as newly planted trees ripped out of ground by vandals near Peterborough

Last month (October 15), the parish council’s grounds team and members of Yaxley Countryside Volunteers planted five cherry trees at Middletons Road Recreation Ground.

The trees were part of 21 that the council have committed to planting as part of the The Queen’s Green Canopy project, which has been created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

On Monday (November 1), residents discovered that two of the trees has been pulled out of the ground and had their branches pulled off.

The council says that it had now been passed the name of one of the perpetrators but encouraged others to report this kind of behaviour to the police.

A statement from Yaxley Parish Council said: “Very disappointed to find that two of the new cherry trees in the Recreation Ground and their stakes have been pulled out over the weekend. One of the trees has had some of its branches pulled off. Should anyone have any information as to when this happened please contact the office, as we are looking to get the CCTV footage from the nearby building site.

“We have been given a name of someone who pulled these trees out as well as carrying out other ASBO in the village. This group is known to the police and anyone who witnessed their behaviour needs to report it to the Police - this can be done on the police website. Without these reports this group will get away with it again.”