Residents in a Suffolk village were shocked and upset to find the trees around their pond were suddenly being cut down.

Those living in Cow Green near Bacton have said they were shocked to find that the trees were being felled, but the parish council say they were advised to take action after the vegetation was "choking" the pond and diminishing the water quality.

A Cow Green resident said: "The area was completely surrounded by trees and vegetation and home to quite a lot of wildlife, including about 20 ducks.

"There was no communication with the locals who live there, and we have been unable to find anything about it on the parish website except thinning of the trees. What they have done is a whole scale removal.

East Anglian Daily Times: View before the trees were cut downView before the trees were cut down (Image: Liz Beighton)

"The properties who live on Cow Green, I know that the first they knew about this was when the trees were being pulled out at the beginning of this week.

"It was really upsetting when I went past to see what a horrible state it was."

A spokesperson from Bacton Parish Council said that felling was necessary for the area and that results always "look a little stark" until after the first growing season, but they are "confident" that the area will "soon be able to support both avian and aquatic wildlife once again".

East Anglian Daily Times: The view around Cow Green, near BactonThe view around Cow Green, near Bacton (Image: Liz Beighton)

The spokesperson said: "The situation is that that water quality at the pond at Cow Green had become very poor and the area had become very overgrown and choked.  

"We were advised by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, that the area should be cleared right back to allow as much light as possible onto the pond and so this is the work that we commissioned.

"While I gather that a small number of residents were not aware of the works in advance, I know that others had looked at the information that the council disseminates as I received communication from quite a few residents a couple of months ago expressing pleasure that the work was to happen, and I have had positive feedback since."

The spokesperson added it is not always possible to communicate with every household directly about works being done, but decisions taken at meetings are published in "four different places around the village, as well as online", and residents are welcome at their meetings.