Dozens of diseased trees in Northumberland park to be felled

Trees infected with ash dieback can become brittle, which means they are liable to fall.

There are about 183,000 ash trees in Northumberland at risk from the fungal infection, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Dutch elm disease has also killed millions of UK trees after it was accidentally imported from Canada to the UK in the 1960s.

The Woodland Trust said the spread of the disease can be slowed by felling dead or dying trees.

This removes the habitat of the beetles which carry the fungus.

The diseased trees in Ridley Park were found during the Conservative-led council’s regular inspection programme.

Most of the felling will take place early in the morning, when the park is less busy, the authority said.