£4k taxpayer bill after 'mindless' Wolverhampton tree attacks
Vandals destroyed almost 20 trees at a popular fishing pool in Wolverhampton, leaving taxpayers facing a repair bill of around £4,000.
The 15ft tall trees were planted two years ago as part of a £280,000 restoration project at Grapes Pool on Moseley Road in Bilston.
But vandals have hacked and torn parts of them down, prompting council chiefs to condemn the attack.
Leisure and communities boss Councillor Elias Mattu said: "This is a mindless act of vandalism.
"It is beyond comprehension why anyone would feel the need to tear down one tree in this way – no matter nearly 20. We've spent a lot of money restoring Grapes Pool and I know that it is very popular with the people who use it.
"I'd urge anyone who has any information about what has happened to contact police immediately so that we can catch the culprits."
Major repairs were carried out at the site in 2011 to prevent water leaking from the man-made pool.
The council-funded makeover also saw landscaping works carried out, including the planting of around 40 trees.
Councillor Mattu added: "We will now have to think hard about what remedial work is carried out.
"The trees were semi-mature and cost around £200 each, so we are looking at a bill of around £4,000 to put the vandalism right.
"This is obviously money the council can ill-afford in the current economic climate."
Last month council workers were drafted in to clean up the pool after soaring temperatures left it covered in a blanket of green algae. Anyone with information can contact West Midlands Police on 101.
