The council has been accused of vandalism after pruning an avenue of trees.

Kingston Council said it pollards the plane trees in Elgar Avenue, Surbiton, every three years, to encourage growth and stop them overgrowing.

Resident Peter Bell, 73, who has lived in Berrylands all of his life, described it as sacrilege, after the trees were left looking like “bare stumps”.

He said: “They are such lovely trees. I can remember their leaves in the autumn and running through them as a kid, kicking them and picking them up for my dad’s compost.

“They were beautiful. It has ruined the street look. I think whoever has authorised this should be given their marching orders.”

He said he had not seen them so heavily cut back in the whole time he had lived there.

A council spokesman said: “Those particular trees were planted 50 years ago when there were no cables, telephone lines, street lights etc, so we have to ensure these do not get obstructed in any way, so that residents are not disrupted.

“Pollarding also protects the trees themselves by ensuring the branches are stronger and don’t crowd together, which can cause weakness in the branches. The council maintains the trees on Elgar Avenue both for the residents and the trees.”