RESIDENTS and officials are angry that a tree was felled just hours before a preservation order came into force.

The protection order was placed on the mature sycamore tree on land at Nook Cottage, in Water's Nook Road, Westhoughton, as part of Bolton Council planning committee's decision to refuse an application to build six houses on the land.

The order was approved at 3pm on Thursday, but did not come into force until Friday morning.

But when one resident arrived home after the decision had been made, he found workmen on the land were cutting down the tree.

The man, who does not wish to be named, said: "They had ropes tied around it and when I told them it had an order on it, they wouldn't listen.

"I went in and rang the council to double check that there was an order, and then told them again. One man asked if I had proof and when I had to say no, he ordered the men to fell it and said they would pay the fine if there was an order.

"I think it's awful. Apart from going against the planning authority's decision, they managed to fell a tree in 75 seconds that takes 75 years to grow."

Westhoughton councillor David Wilkinson said: "The developers knew full well that a preservation order was to be requested.

"I have already put in calls to look into the matter. I think the fine for felling a tree with an order is in the region of £5,000. Unfortunately, it will not apply in this instance.

"It doesn't do a developer's reputation any good to take this sort of action and if the prosecution route is available to us, I will be asking that we take it. We cannot tolerate this type of situation. Planning committee members will be very angry when they hear about this."

A spokesman from the council's planning department said: "An order had been made, but was due to come into force on Friday morning. At the time the tree was felled, there was no order. Therefore, it was not illegal."

The application by Red house Developments for four detached properties and a pair of semi-detached houses, brought 50 objections from residents.

They claimed the development was not in keeping with the character of the area, and that six houses was over-development for that area of land.

They also said there would be a loss of privacy to existing residents.

Councillors agreed and refused the plan and followed the recommendations of the council's tree and woodland officers and placed a preservation order on the mature sycamore.

Red House declined to comment.