A wealthy businessman illegally cut down 11 protected trees on his land to give himself a bigger back garden, a court has heard.

Millionaire David Matthews, 67, ­ignored Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) and spent a weekend cutting them down with a chainsaw.

The specimens, including an oak, beech and sweet chestnut, were close to his five-bedroom detached house in Poole, Dorset. Nine of the trees were said to have been up to 100 years old.

A member of the public who heard the noise of the trees being felled reported the matter to Poole council, which launched an investigation and subsequently charged Matthews with the wilful destruction of protected trees.

Poole magistrates were told that Matthews had breached a similar order in 2015 and had been given a warning.