CAMPAIGNERS attempting to save four trees carried their protest inside a barrier erected by contractors around the trees in Leys Square, Letchworth GC, on Saturday. Protestors, watched by two Police Community Support Officers, tied balloons and ribbons to

CAMPAIGNERS attempting to save four trees carried their protest inside a barrier erected by contractors around the trees in Leys Square, Letchworth GC, on Saturday.

Protestors, watched by two Police Community Support Officers, tied balloons and ribbons to the trees days before they are due to be felled by the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation.

Banners and other protest signs were also tied to the fence which was put up at the beginning of last week as contractors moved into the square to carry out drainage and other work prior to the building of a fountain.

Sue Hogg, of Wilbury Road, Letchworth GC, who has helped spearhead the campaign said: "This was a peaceful protest and we made our point and got a lot of support from members of the public who were shopping.

"Nobody supported the move to cut the trees down and were all behind us trying to save the trees.

"We will continue to keep a dawn to dusk watch on the trees this week in an attempt to preserve them and stop the Foundation cutting them down."

Two weeks ago members of the save the trees campaign group delivered a petition containing over 18,000 signatures from residents saying the trees should stay.

The Foundation has said the trees must go as part of its town centre enhancement works claiming some are also diseased. The Foundation has promised not to cut them down before October 1 but the campaigners have promised to fight to the end to try and save them.