Youth project apple trees snapped by vandals
National TrustTwo fruit trees planted as part of a youth project have been snapped by vandals.
The trees, which had been growing for a year, were damaged sometime last weekend on a patch of land on the National Trust's Whitehaven Coast.
They were put there by the Whitehaven Harbour Youth. There are now plans to plant eight more in the hope they will be "left alone".
"A lot of effort goes into ensuring they get a good start but that can all be undone in a moment," the National Trust said, adding it was "disappointing but an isolated incident".
The Woodland Trust said it was "especially disheartening when we see trees vandalised which have been planted and cared for by communities".
Jay Henderson, from the Woodland Trust, said the charity had seen a "rise in public support for many trees that have been damaged or destroyed in recent years, most notably the Whitewebbs Oak and Sycamore Gap".
"This shows the value trees have, not only for nature but for people too."
National TrustThe Woodland Trust has called for better legal protection for the UK's oldest and most special trees.
It comes as hundreds of saplings planted in Whitehaven were ripped up in early February, while in January, more than 200 newly planted trees were damaged at the Northumberland Wildlife Trust's West Chevington reserve.
The National Trust said it had not seen an increase in tree vandalism.
It added that "incidents tend to be rare and the incident on the Whitehaven Coast site was disappointing but isolated".
"Fingers crossed the eight planted are left alone," the National Trust added.
