Threat to yew

A COUNCIL has removed up to 100 yew trees planted near a playground following complaints from parents that children could be poisoned if they ate the leaves or berries.
The trees were planted last year at a cost of about £1,000 at the area on the Blaise Castle estate in Bristol, which is managed by the city council. But council workers have now ripped up the 4ft high trees. The council said that following a “risk assessment” it was decided that the “safest option” was to remove them. But one mother said the council was being over cautious. Helen Santry, 52, a nurse, said: “To cut down these beautiful young trees seems absolutely ludicrous. There are hundreds of adult yew trees around the estate, not to mention deadly nightshade in the woods and poisonous fungi.” Trevor Beer, a naturalist, said it would take “handfuls” of the plant to present a danger. “That is no excuse to uproot them. If that happened to all Britain’s poisonous plants, there would be no countryside left.” Daily Telegraph 30/3/06.