COUNCIL bosses have slammed mindless vandals who have snapped newly-planted trees in Dudley and Kingswinford in half.

An avenue of new trees planted along both sides of the path in Grange Park, near Dudley town centre, have been almost completely destroyed by vandals who snapped the trunks.

The same fate has befallen three newly planted trees along Stallings Lane, Kingswinford, with vandals also snapping branches off a number of other trees along the road.

Council tree experts have performed remedial works on the trees affected but they are now unlikely to reach their full growth and potential due to the vandal attacks.

Both incidents happened this month and police have been informed, but the perpetrators have not been identified.

Councillor Karen Shakespeare, Dudley's cabinet member for public realm, said: "These trees have been planted using taxpayers’ money to try and make the borough a more attractive place for us all to live in. It just beggars belief as to why anyone would want to do such a thing.

"It is wanton vandalism and a criminal offence, and councillors on both sides of the political spectrum are determined to catch the people responsible.

"I would urge anyone with information on either case to contact the council or the police."

Anyone with information can call the police on 101, or Dudley Council Plus on 0300 555 2345.