NATURE lovers have been left heartbroken at the destruction of a "glorious" old hedgerow and field of trees in woodland near a luxury hotel.

Artist Jac Seery Howard, who has painted the hedgerow, near the Seaham Hall Hotel, in east Durham, said: "I was horrified to learn it may no longer be there, so went along to have a look. I was in tears. The whole hedgerow and a field of trees has been destroyed.

"I understand planning permission has been granted to Seaham Hall for holiday lodges on the North-East side of the hotel, but as far as I know the land to the south west was not part of that application."

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She added: "The main feature was a glorious layered beech hedgerow which must have been hundreds of years old. It was part of a walled garden that served people who lived in the hall at one time and been laid manually layered before being to let go to grow.

"The hedge was a haven for wildlife. I have would sit there painting it and a robin would come and sit on the branch next to me.

"I am heartbroken that someone has ripped the whole lot down. My faith in human nature has taken a big battering this week."

Mrs Seery Howard said a senior tree officer from Durham County Council had been to the site after the felling. He had put emergency tree preservation order on all of the remaining trees in the area to prevent any further work being done, she added.

Resident Jean Spence said: "If I was walking near the hall I would always go have a look at the hedge. I felt ill when I saw what had happened. I cannot even bear to go there now."

"I would like to see an investigation into why it has been destroyed, who has destroyed it and whether or not it links with the lodges and the application to move the footpath."

Stuart Timmiss, the county council's head of development and housing, said: “We have received complaints recently about a number of trees, on land which was not the subject of the planning application for lodges at Seaham Hall, being felled.

“We are currently following up these complaints and seeking to contact the landowner, and have also made the Forestry Commission aware.

“Having been on site we would like to assure people that all public rights of way in the vicinity remain open."

Seaham Hall general manager Natahan White said: "Seaham Hall Hotel can confirm that we do not own the land."