Campaigners who were defeated in their efforts to save hundreds of poplar trees facing the axe staged a final demonstration today as the men with chainsaws moved in.

A group of LibDem borough councillors, together with other defiant protestors gathered at Stanborough Lakes in Welwyn Garden City to witness the wanton destruction of the first batch of Poplar trees in the South car park.

The controversial decision by Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council to chop down around 700 trees was made after environmental officers saidthey posed a safety risk to people using the car park.

A further 34 'hazradous' trees in the north car park have also been earmarked for the chop with the remainder left for review.

Protestor Tony Skottowe, LibDem leader of the council, said: "This is a very sad day for the town. The council has on several occasions shown their contempt for both the public and their colleagues on the council. When I called for an examination of the way that they communicate with the public, I was simply abused by the leadership.

"Their attitude was shown up by council leader John Dean actually having the gall to congratulate Cllr Berry, during a full council meeting, for ‘not bothering’ to turn up to a public meeting at the Lakes."

The council and three independent consultants investigated and considered a number of proposals to manage the risk in the south car park and concluded that felling was the only realistic option.

But campaigners believe felling is unwarranted.

Malcolm Cowan, county councillor for Handside and Peartree wards, said: “There is plenty of expert opinion that pollarding these trees would have been a perfectly acceptable way to address the safety issue, and would have allowed the council time to progressively replace the trees without causing such devastation. "It would also have been more cost effective. It seems Councillor Berry and her cabinet colleagues have no interest in public opinion or rational argument, nor in safeguarding public money.”