DYING trees will be chopped down and replaced in one of the town's following an outbreak of widespread disease.

Council inspectors visited Prospect Park in 2016 and found a large number of infected mature horse chestnut trees.

The entire south side of the driveway leading to the Mansion House was felled and more trees will have to be cut down and replaced along the north side despite ongoing monitoring.

Councillor Sarah Hacker, lead member for Culture, Sport and Consumer Services, said: “Regretfully, the time has come to start replanting the north side of the avenue of trees at Prospect Park.

"We need to act now to remove these diseased trees so that they do not go on to contaminate other healthy trees in the park.

“Unfortunately, horse chestnuts are subject to a range of diseases.

"Since they are shedding limbs, they also represent a significant hazard to the public and the most sensible course of action is to remove and replace them with a hardier, disease resistant species as we have done successfully in 2016 with the south avenue.”