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Trees vandalised in mystery attack
11:09am Wednesday 20th August 2008
AN ELDERLY couple were shocked to return from a trip to Australia to find their garden trees stripped of their foliage.
Anne and Ray Spencer from St Peter Street, Marlow, had been visiting their daughter in Sydney for a month.
On Tuesday they arrived back at Heathrow and made their way home, arriving shortly before 7am.
Anne, 71, said: "We sat down to have a cup of tea and some breakfast and I looked out the window and thought, 'Something's wrong out there'."
The branches and leaves of five leylandii-type trees in their back garden had been completely sawn off, leaving only bare trunks.
Even more strangely the back gate to their garden was locked, and there was no sign of any of the branches or leaves on the ground.
Ray, 73, said: "It's complete mystery. All I can think of is that someone had a ladder against the wall, cut them off and pulled them into the path behind the house.
"It was almost like magic - like Doctor Who had been down and made them all just disappear."
The couple called the police to report the incident. Later on, they checked their email to find one from their next door neighbour, who claimed to have seen a man in their garden.
Anne said: "My next door neighbour said that she and her husband saw a man cutting the branches off.
"The gate was locked, but you could go over with a ladder."
She went on to say that the trees were now completely ruined: "I don't think they've a chance in hell of living. They haven't got a bit of green on them.
"My guesstimate is that it will cost around £500 to clear the ground. To plant new trees and to buy them I would have thought in the region of £1,500."
Your Say YourBucks
Elmo, High Wycombe says...
11:30am Wed 20 Aug 08
influxuk, terriers says...
11:47am Wed 20 Aug 08
rs reported seeing "man cutting dowen the branches" - me thinks the neighbours may be lying!!! why else would someone do this than as revenge for blocking their view from those windows-
OneArmJack, says...
11:50am Wed 20 Aug 08
beedee, high wycombe says...
11:54am Wed 20 Aug 08
Malc London, Gerrards Cross says...
12:09pm Wed 20 Aug 08
Red Fred, in a green shed says...
12:17pm Wed 20 Aug 08
I don't think it's going to take Inspector Morse to work out who was responsible for this!!
Of course it would'nt, but if they send the good old plastic police down there all we will get is another 'community initiative'.
Molar Man, bottom row , fifth right says...
12:17pm Wed 20 Aug 08
Ivor, says...
12:23pm Wed 20 Aug 08
My only question is why bother to take all the leaves away as surely it was have been easier to just use a chainsaw to cut them down and leave them where they fell?
Have you read Ivors blog today? Click on the Opinion link on the menu on the left then click on Readers Blogs.
Elmo, High Wycombe says...
12:25pm Wed 20 Aug 08
Mandy, says...
12:46pm Wed 20 Aug 08
Ivor wrote:Perhaps they neighbour wants to hang some bunting up to celebrate the light!!
Tall conifers are noting but a nuisance. Ill bet the neighbours are relived they are gone! My only question is why bother to take all the leaves away as surely it was have been easier to just use a chainsaw to cut them down and leave them where they fell? Have you read Ivors blog today? Click on the Opinion link on the menu on the left then click on Readers Blogs.
Merge in Turn, says...
12:47pm Wed 20 Aug 08
influxuk, terriers says...
1:06pm Wed 20 Aug 08
the only trees cut were the ones at the window - come on BFP jesus christ
what jokers the neighbours "we saw a man cutting them"
ha ha ha
the more i think about this story the more funny it is
George - Wycombe, says...
1:14pm Wed 20 Aug 08
erm, ermsville says...
1:17pm Wed 20 Aug 08
Why didn't the neighours ask questions if they knew the couple were away?
If I had been the neighbours I wouldn't have asked any questions, I would have been delighted.
Besides you can't ask questions of a man that doesn't exist
local, bucks says...
1:58pm Wed 20 Aug 08
OneArmJack wrote:No, I dont think Inspector Morse is needed....its possibly a case for "Special Branch!" though.
I don't think it's going to take Inspector Morse to work out who was responsible for this!!
Mutley, High Wycombe says...
2:29pm Wed 20 Aug 08
"My guesstimate is that it will cost around £500 to clear the ground. To plant new trees and to buy them I would have thought in the region of £1,500."
That's what will go in the insurance claim no doubt. Actual cost, say a couple of hundred to grind the old roots out, thirty quid for a bit of soil and maybe another twenty for the five "leylandii-type" trees. Total £250 max.
My advice - plant a nice shrub instead.
Actually, I might be able to find some work for the "mystery" perpetrator.
ajb100, Wycombe says...
3:26pm Wed 20 Aug 08
maverick, HW says...
4:18pm Wed 20 Aug 08
Judging by the photo they must have been hidden by the hedges as they seem to have grown very close to the brick wall !!
Spiderpig, Booker says...
4:20pm Wed 20 Aug 08
Bean, the pub says...
5:29pm Wed 20 Aug 08
R of Wycombe, High Wycombe says...
6:20pm Wed 20 Aug 08
spotty, Holmer Green says...
11:34pm Wed 20 Aug 08
George - Wycombe, says...
11:45pm Wed 20 Aug 08
It must have taken some moving to get rid of the greenery, how many trips did a lorry make to transport it?
One ex Marlow resident has/had FOUR wheely bins, another BFP story with NO follow up reporting.
smokey, high wycombe says...
8:35am Thu 21 Aug 08
Why did you have to do that exactly? Going on that would you describe a 50 year old as a "middle aged ...." Or would you describe a 20 year old as a "young...2
STOP with the cheap shoddy journalism BFP - get some proper writers in please.
spartacus, matlock says...
8:07am Wed 3 Sep 08
I did a similar thing out of desperation with our own neighbour from hell, and cut down a tree in front of our window. Foolishly I admitted it.
Result: 3 visits to police station, finger prints, DNA swabs, photographs, searched, one hour in cell without shoes, belt etc. 4 visits to court, guilty, fine & costs nearly £2000.
Absolutely appalling!
Neighbour from hell laughing and can carry on regardless.
Spartacus
spartacus, matlock says...
8:09am Wed 3 Sep 08
I did a similar thing out of desperation with our own neighbour from hell, and cut down a tree in front of our window. Foolishly I admitted it.
Result: 3 visits to police station, finger prints, DNA swabs, photographs, searched, one hour in cell without shoes, belt etc. 4 visits to court, guilty, fine & costs nearly £2000.
Absolutely appalling!
Neighbour from hell laughing and can carry on regardless.
Spartacus
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Anne and Ray Spencer with the damaged trees
The damage
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Elmo, High Wycombe says...
11:20am Wed 20 Aug 08