A large sycamore tree has been felled – one of seven due for the chop – much to the dismay of park users.

Swale council commissioned the cutting in Grove Park, next to the Gore Court Cricket Club ground on Key Street, Sittingbourne, last month.

Brian Birch, who lives in nearby Kenilworth Court, spotted something was missing after he returned home from holiday.

The 72-year-old, who thinks the tree was between 100 and 150 years old, said: “The council has been doing a lot of work on trees there.

“I drove past on the main road and there was a stump with shoulders on it where a tree should be.”

He said he went to inspect the offcuts as the wood left on the stump did not look rotten.

The former Gore Court Cricket Club chairman said: “Only one bough was rotten.

“The council chopped down a tree they didn’t need to.

“Trees in particular take so long to grow and people just chop them down willy-nilly.”

He wrote to Swale council, which said a survey had been carried out before the work was done.

Council contractors began to remove the trees last month and a couple are awaiting removal.

A council spokesman said: “We commissioned a survey of the trees in our parks and open spaces last year, which identified issues with seven trees in the Grove Park area.

“These had been found to be suffering from fungal infection which weakens the tree, making it more susceptible to damage in high winds, which poses a risk to the public.

“Unfortunately, the only way to deal with this is to remove the trees, with work carried out by specialist contractors at the most suitable time to avoid nesting season for birds.

“We understand this can cause concern as people value
trees in their local community, but we are planning to replant the same number of trees – possibly more – in the closest appropriate location to where they have been removed.”

Swale council said the survey showed: "Low vitality, with poor structural condition (die-back throughout crown, major deadwood, major decay/structural defect, fungal fruiting bodies all around base) with the recommendation that it is felled, with a 2-3m retained high stump for wildlife habitat."