Lead councillor David Harvey has hit out at vandals after a number of trees were deliberately targeted in an area of natural importance to wildlife and ecology.

We're appealing for people with any information on the vandalism at Well Oak Park to contact the police.

Four lime trees and a pine at the area of open space in Well Oak Park near the Royal Exeter & Devon Hospital, were deliberately stripped of bark using a handsaw and hatchet.

Cllr David Harvey, Lead Councillor for Environment and City Management, said: “The fact that this has been done amid a backdrop of the country losing hundreds of thousands of trees through ash dieback makes this even more frustrating.

“This is nothing but criminal damage and I would appeal to anyone who has any knowledge of the attacks to contact the police.”