CELEBRITY Timmy Mallett joined parish councillors to screen off a village eyesore with a circle of trees.

Cookham Parish Council persuaded gas supplier Transco to allow a screen between villagers and the two Cookham gasometers.

The gasometers were installed in the 1950s and 1960s and were screened by trees which had to be felled two years ago.

The new mix of oaks, beech, cyprus and cherry trees will grow up to 100ft tall.

Cllr Liz Kwantes said: "This is a fantastic link between industry and local village life.

"The whole thing happened because there were trees round the area that British Gas had planted. They became rotten and had to be cut down.

"The parish council, Janet Bingham and myself, contacted Trasco's MD and he has very kindly arranged for the 35 trees to be planted.

"Timmy came down to join in the fun. He is terribly interested in village life."

Parish clerk David Armstrong said: "Liz Kwantes is very persuasive.

"When the gas company cut all the trees down residents got up in arms."

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