DOZENS of trees at the heart of a community woodland have been left damaged and scarred after being struck by an axe.

Volunteers at Lochend Woods fear that in the region of 100 trees have been attacked.

The trunks of the trees have been “vandalised extensively” and volunteers said that the attacks had clearly been going on for some time.

And they have warned that the behaviour is not only “damaging” the trees but also “may ultimately kill them, as they are effectively being ring-barked”.

Eva Hurley, convenor of the Dunbar Community Woodland Group, stressed that the damage was deliberate and described it as “extreme vandalism”.

Trees in Lochend Woods have been targetedTrees in Lochend Woods have been targeted (Image: Facebook)

She said: “There is no question about it.

“It is not a naturally occurring phenomena.

“It is not any creature like deer or anything like that.

“It is very easy to identify this was deliberate and it would be some sort of axe that actually did this.”

Dunbar Community Woodland Group was set up as a registered charity in 2003.

Ownership of 45 acres of the easterly portion of Lochend Woods was transferred to the community four years later and the volunteers have been managing it since.

The voluntary group aims to manage Lochend Woods as a community resource while maximising its potential for educational and recreational use.

Trees in Lochend Woods have been targetedTrees in Lochend Woods have been targeted (Image: Facebook)

The woods are used by various groups, including Muddy Buddies, a playgroup for pre-school children and carers.

The convenor added: “We encourage the community to be in the woodland and to enjoy the woodland.

“That is very much why we exist - to steward this wonderful resource in Dunbar on behalf of the community.”

The group of volunteers stressed that, if anyone spotted someone “irresponsibly wielding an axe” in the woods, they should not approach them and instead report what was happening.

Councillor Donna Collins, who represents the town on East Lothian Council, was similarly appalled by the vandalism.

She described it as “disgraceful” and said: “The woodland group work hard to do a fantastic job.

“To see things getting destroyed like that is not acceptable.”