HIGHWAY crews are currently removing unsafe trees around Gloucestershire infected with ash dieback.

Ash dieback is a disease that causes leaf loss and dying branches, and can lead to the death of a tree.

The disease attacks ash trees quickly and there currently is no prevention or treatment available.

To prevent ash dieback from spreading, crews are cutting down the diseased trees.

Ash trees are very common in Gloucestershire, and it’s estimated between 27,000 to 32,000 trees along roads in the county will require attention over the coming years.

Road closures will be in place where work is being carried out.

Cllr Nigel Moor, cabinet member for environment and planning at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “Cutting down any tree is a huge loss to our county’s biodiversity, but this is something we must do to stop more trees becoming diseased. We are fully committed to stopping this disease, saving as many trees as we can and undertaking a programme of tree planting throughout the county.”

A wide scale tree planting programme is being developed as part of the county council’s climate change strategy.