 Trees in Stanley Park has been badly affected by the disease |
Trees which have lined the streets of Blackpool for more than 80 years are being cut down after an attack of Dutch elm disease. The fungal infection has affected more than 200 trees in the resort in the last month - 10 times the number which are usually lost in a year.
Council teams are working to pull down affected trunks which are mainly in Stanley Park and Newton Drive.
The disease usually kills between 15 and 20 trees a year in Blackpool.
Day's work
The disease is carried on spores by the scolytus beetle, which has increased in numbers due to the warm weather.
Some of the affected trees are between 80 and 90 years old and can take the council's arboricultural team up to a day to fell.
Councillor David Owen, portfolio holder for leisure, culture and community learning at Blackpool Council, said: "It is important that infected trees are felled immediately.
"The public may wonder why the council is taking down these magnificent trees so it is important that we raise awareness of this disease."
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