TWO trees which were vandalised in a 'mindless attack' at the new Brewery Field park in Bridgwater will not recover.

Residents first noticed two trees in the new park area had been stripped of their bark on the morning of Wednesday, May 8.

Scott Mason, new Head of Amenities at Bridgwater Town Council which now has taken on Parks and Open Spaces in Bridgwater from Somerset Council, undertook an inspection to determine the trees' chance of survival.

Sadly, it was bad news.

“Unfortunately, due to the severity of the damage, these trees will not recover," he said.

"However, they are not a risk to public safety as they stand, and so urgent action is not required.”

"When the outer bark is damaged/removed in this way, the tree is still able to access water and nutrients from the ground (the vascular tissue responsible for this is further within the tree)."

“It does mean that the tree is unable to move and store sugars in the root system at the end of the growing season that it needs to come into leaf each spring.

"They are likely to survive for a couple of years and then decline as their reserves of energy run out.”

Read more: Anger as bark stripped from trees at new Bridgwater park area

Ward Councillor and Town Council leader  Brian Smedley said: “This means that we will need to look at replacement this planting season.

"The truth is though we simply can’t protect every tree from every idiot and so people really need to be taught about the value of trees to our world and really not a good idea to damage them in this way. 

"Maybe the culprit would like to come forward and face up to what he did wrong and offer to pay for two new trees.

"He could be a real ambassador for other potential tree harmers.

"Amnesty, apology, front page picture in the paper, ‘I was wrong but now I know better. Don’t be like me, don’t kill a tree’.

"That would be a good thing wouldn’t it?”

Cllr Tim Mander who takes over today as the Chair of the Amenities committee added: “Just so sad how a petty act of vandalism can effectively kill a tree.

"I hope that proper coverage is given and the individual is made aware of the consequences of his actions."