A FRUSTRATED neighbour has hit out at “ecological vandalism” after trees near a train station were cut down.

Peter Worsley lives opposite Daisy Hill Station, in Leigh Road, and said he spotted workers chopping down the vegetation earlier this week.

He says the lack of trees is frustrating for neighbours who now have nothing blocking the sound and the view of the railway from their homes.

The Bentworth Close resident also claims he was never told that the work would be happening before the trees began to be chopped down. However, a spokesman for Network Rail said information was distributed to people living in the area beforehand.

“There is nothing subtle about this vegetation control - it is wanton destruction, which seems odd in this era of climate change,” Mr Worsley said.

“I wasn’t impressed at all, they did the same thing last year. It’s not just shrubs they are cutting down, it’s mature trees, that’s what annoys me so much.”

In response to the complaints, Alan Howarth, infrastructure protection co-ordinator for Network Rail, said the work was especially necessary after the strong winds brought on by Storm Ciara this week.

“The trees around Daisy Hill station cause safety issues for trains when they shed their leaves in the autumn,” he said.

“This makes it harder for trains to stop and causes delays for passengers.

“Before the vegetation work was carried out, we notified residents and surveyed the area to make sure protected habitats would not be adversely impacted.

“As one of Britain’s largest landowners, we constantly balance the needs of the environment and our neighbours with the needs and safety of the 4.6m people who use the railway every day.”