A parish council has defended its decision to remove shrubs after locals expressed concern. 

A number of plants, bushes and shrubs in the Haydon Wick estate have been removed recently, leaving behind an unsightly mess. 

And while Haydon Wick Parish Council says the move was necessary, some neighbours feel it should not have happened. 

Parish council chairman Vinay Manro issued a statement on social media in response to the stir caused by the shrub removal. 

He said: "I wanted to share an important development regarding our community’s safety and aesthetics. Recently, we made the decision to remove certain shrub beds. Some of these beds have become over-run with brambles. 

"I appreciate at present the areas where we have removed shrubs do not look the best but the teams will be working to bring them up to scratch."

​He added: "Over time, some shrubs had grown excessively, obstructing sightlines at intersections, and pedestrian crossings. This has often required multiple visits per year, outside of scheduled cuts.

"By removing these shrubs, we aim to improve visibility for both motorists and pedestrians, reducing the risk of accidents.

"Our priority is your safety. Clear sightlines contribute significantly to accident prevention.

"Removing overgrown shrubs ensures that drivers can see oncoming traffic and pedestrians more easily.

Swindon Advertiser: What Ealing Way used to look likeWhat Ealing Way used to look like (Image: Google Maps)"Many shrub beds have been overcome with brambles.

"We plan to replace the removed shrubs with grass or allow the shrubs to regrow and suppress the brambles or seed with grass.

"The areas will remain green."

In response, some members of the public expressed their opposition to the move. 

Leigh Jackson said: "I am very concerned about the wildlife

"Was there an audit carried out before the works? I have seen over the years birds nesting to hedgehogs. Doesn’t feel right to me."

Gemma Davies added: I would have liked to have seen some sort of community consultation before this! All the natural habitats have been destroyed.

"Some of the worse affected areas have been left with hedges that appeared fine to the rest of us, but have now been completely destroyed!"

Matthew Bailey said: "Here's an idea - why not use some of our hard-earned money that we all pay to have someone who knows what they're doing look after these areas and keeping it looking nice rather than take it all out or hack it to death?"

Cllr Manro encouraged anyone with feedback or concerns to contact the council either by calling 01793 722446 or emailing tidyup@haydonwick.gov.uk