Council chops down 6,000 trees at beauty spot to stop 'doggers'



More than 6,000 trees have been chopped down by a council at a stunning beauty spot - to stop couples having sex in public.

The conifers were felled on the 12 hectare site after it became a hotspot for 'dogging' - where people have sex with strangers while being watched.

A huge expanse of forest that runs for kilometres alongside the busy A666 was axed after a health and safety survey.

Axed: 6,000 trees have been cut down along the A666 from Darwen to Bolton

It claimed some of the trees, planted after the Second World War, were in danger of falling down.

But police and councillors have confirmed the cull was also ordered to discourage doggers.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'It's awful that a public green space, an asset to the local community, has been destroyed mindlessly.



The trees were axed to prevent 'doggers' using the site

'If the law was enforced properly then there would be no need to chop down these trees.



'The police and the council should work more closely with local residents to fight crime in order to prevent such a travesty happening again in future.'



However, local councillor Jean Rigby insisted the area will be replanted with native species of trees.

'I'm more than happy this is being carried out - and it has a double whammy in terms of the sexual behaviour,' she said.

'I've heard anecdotally that since the trees have been cleared, it's quietened down a lot.'



Sergeant Mark Wilson, of Lancashire Police's Darwen Neighbourhood team, explained: 'It's an on-going problem and very worrying for members of the public.



'It's far too early to tell if cutting the trees back has had any impact on the dogging situation, but we'll be paying regular attention to the area.'

Brian Jackson of Friends of the Earth, said: 'To remove thousands and thousands of mature trees is absurd.



'The conifer trees in this area are very valuable in providing windbreaks and attracting rainfall to the area.'