THE felling of 6,000 trees on the outskirts of Darwen has been welcomed by The Woodland Trust.

In the past month, 12 hectares of conifers beside the A666 near Greens Arms Road in Turton have been removed by landowners United Utilities because of health and safety concerns.

Police and councillors also welcomed the move as it helps crack down on dogging – strangers meeting for sex – in the area. The land is to be replanted with broad leaf trees which are a native species.

Debbie Nicholls, of The Woodland Trust, said: “It looks a mess, but in five or six years it will look beautiful again as the broad leaf decidious trees grow.

But Brian Jackson, of Friends of the Earth, said: “To remove thousands and thousands of mature trees is absurd.The conifer trees in this area are very valuable in providing windbreaks and attracting rainfall.”