MORE than two dozen trees have been attacked along the picturesque West Devon Drive.

The vandalism was discovered when contractors J and R Blackburn Landscape were fertilizing sites along the 12-mile route between Sourton Cross and Lifton.

The trees had been partly sawn through and left to die at two locations — Poole Cross near Bridestowe and Forda Head.

'It is devastating to see,' said Mr Blackburn whose firm planted the five-year-old-trees a year ago.

They were a mix of decidious trees — oaks, silver birch, alder and mountain ash — which had been planted as part of the scheme to enhance and attract visitors to the area.

'We got a great deal of pleasure putting them in — but it's soul-destroying to find people have vandalised them,' said Mr Blackburn.

'Enough trees are pulled down and destroyed for motorways and building sites so it is always nice to reverse that and plant them.'

He said it would have taken quite a bit of time to do this to so many trees.

'Who ever did it has been very calculating. But where does it stop? The whole idea of the West Devon Drive is to make it more attractive. It is to bring more visitors to the people with hotels and bed and breakfasts.

'It is something for the future generation and to enhance the place for those who live there.'

Bob Westlake, who has been the man behind the West Devon Drive, which was officially opened last year, said the attack was a great shame.

He said the police had been informed and were looking into the matter.

'I don't know who did this — but it was vandalism of one sort of another. It is just such a shame there are people with this approach to things.'

Mr Westlake said the whole idea of the West Devon Drive was to improve the local economy and give pleasure to people.

He said some of the trees attacked were going to be fertilised and resited.

'It will take a long time to get everything looking right because plants need to grow if they are allowed to. But it will take a lot longer if we keep having things like this happening.'