Many readers will be aware that horse chestnut trees in Western Europe are suffering severely from a disease commonly called Bleeding Canker. Whaddon is not exempt, and all the chestnuts around the Recreation Ground are affected to different degrees.

Urgent action needs to be taken to keep the area safe, and the Parish Council has prepared a number of documents to inform you. The basic information is in the first of these:

• a general document outlining the issues
• the survey by Acacia Tree Surgery of the trees
• a description of Bleeding Canker
• some photos of how to recognise it

Please pass on any comments you may have to . This will be read by a Parish Councillor who will reply to you. [If this email link does not work, it is probably down to the way your email is configured, so copy and paste this address into your mail program.]

Updates:

The Parish Council at its meeting on 11 August has decided to obtain quotes for the removal of all the chestnuts, on the grounds that it will be the most effective solution in the long run.

Thanks to Mr & Mrs Ralls, a press cutting has been uncovered, probably from the Royston Crow, which indicates that the present trees by the road were planted in 1976