TREES lining one of the main shopping streets in Bolton have disappeared as plans for a £3million regeneration scheme steam ahead.

Newport Street is undergoing a massive transformation to turn it into a ‘European-style boulevard’ and the work will result in all the street's foliage, benches and miniature elephants being taken away.

The ambitious plans also meant that the much-loved charity canopy, which had stood for 30 years after being donated to the town by Marks and Spencers, was dismantled in October.

Alan Johnson, chairman of the Bolton Green Party and the group’s candidate for Bolton South East, said the loss of the trees was ‘regrettable’.

He said: “To cut the trees down is wrong. Why they couldn’t have done what they needed to without cutting them down, I don't really understand.

“The letter of the law says if they cut them down then they have to be replanted, and legally they are complying with what they need to do.

“What we need is regeneration and investment in Bolton, and that is what is sadly lacking.”

As part of the scheme, the colours of the Bolton logo will be painted on shop fronts along the parade, and the entire street will be repaved.

The Bolton News reported last week how the new lampposts outside the Octagon car park are an example of lighting fixtures that could be added to the new street scene in Newport Street, once completed.

A council spokesman explained the trees needed to go to enable workmen to start work repaving the shopping street, which the council have said needs investment.

She said: “We are investing £3 million into upgrading Newport Street, £2 million will be invested on improving shop frontages and £1 million will be spent on completely repaving Newport Street.

“The repaving work is due to start in the summer and in preparation we are removing five Plane trees on Newport Street and replacing them with trees which are more suited to an urban environment.”