Sheffield Council wins high court battle over tree-felling row

Sheffield City Council have won a High Court fight with protesterstrying to stop a street tree-felling programme.

A judge has made orders stopping people taking "unlawful direct action"preventing the "lawful" felling of roadside trees.

Mr Justice Males analysed evidence at a trial in Leeds in July and handed down a ruling in London on Tuesday.

The tree-felling programme has been criticised by former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, when he was a Sheffield Lib Dem MP, and Conservative Environment Secretary Michael Gove.

Council bosses say the programme is essential if Sheffield's 36,000 streettrees are to be managed for future generations.

They say trees earmarked for felling are dying or diseased, or pose dangers.

But protesters disagree and regular protests have been staged as contractors have removed hundreds of roadside trees.