A FORMER Ramsbottom resident has spoken of his sadness after a tree he planted when his daughter was born 14 years ago was demolished.

John Drogan lived on Whittingham Drive, on the Broadhey estate, for 18 years before moving to Edgworth last year.

Three weeks ago, meadowland at the back of the estate, owned by Peel Holdings, was chopped down, incensing residents who claimed they had been given no prior warning.

Mr Drogan said: “They have completely destroyed this fantastic natural resource that the community had without any warning. I’m a member of the Ramsbottom Photography Group on Facebook and someone posted a picture asking if anyone knew what was going on at the fields. When I saw it I could not believe that it was that spot. All of the residents used it for walking the dogs, playing with their children, going jogging. It’s more than just a field, it was a great recreational area.

“I don’t even recognise the place. There’s nothing there at all now. I cannot believe that someone could do that.”

Field flattening is ‘like an atomic bomb has landed' in Ramsbottom

Mr Drogan says that the land meant so much to him that he decided to plant a tree there when his daughter Isobel was born.

“It was a place that I felt a connection with and I thought it would be something that would be a great memory for her, seeing it grow as she did.

“It grew to be 20-foot-tall, but they have just completely bulldozed it.

“Of course, there are more important things going on in the world, but the fact that we destroy our environment is sad and planting trees is one of those beneficial things you can do. It was just a symbol of nature and something that she could nurture as she grew up.

Mr Drogan said Isobel, a pupil at nearby Woodhey High School, was distraught when she heard that the tree had been destroyed.

“She was really upset that something that had been there for the same amount of time she has been on the planet has just been demolished without any regard whatsoever. My daughter wants to pursue a career looking after animals and is planning on going into zoology. I think that’s due to growing up around there, but the beautiful area she grew up in has just been demolished. It’s very sad.”

In a post on his Facebook page two weeks ago, Bury North MP James Frith confirmed that he had written to Peel demanding clarification as to why the land was flattened, and has since been assured that there are no plans to develop the land in the foreseeable future.

He has now asked his office to investigate whether an Environmental Impact Assessment was due.

Peel Holdings told the Bury Times that they do not wish to make any comment on the matter at this stage.