A DOZEN mature trees have been felled in an Oxford park and will be used as seating for an outdoor theatre production.

The city council claims the chestnut, ash and other specimens in Headington Hill Park have been chopped down for safety reasons, but the decision has angered a long-standing park user.

The Creation Theatre company, which starts its two-month run of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in the park on Friday, will use the trees as benches for audience members.

Glynis Robinson, who regularly walks her dog in the park, criticised the scheme and said the trees did not look diseased or rotten.

Ms Robinson, of St Mary's Road, east Oxford, said: "I am very angry about this. I have never seen such wholesale destruction in that park.

"I thought that park was safe, but it is so shocking to see 12 lovely, healthy, mature trees lying in pieces.

"You can tell from a tree trunk if it is diseased and these ones looked in perfectly healthy condition. A tree is home to 4,000 species, like insects, bugs and caterpillars. Those have been lost."

A council spokeswoman said: "Some trees in Headington Hill Park are being cut down as part of our Tree Management Programme.

"This programme, which started last year, involves surveying 32,000 trees over three years and creating a database of tree stock to highlight any arboricultural work required.

"The dangers of falling trees are well publicised and the council's first duty is to do all it can to protect Oxford's citizens.

"The open-air theatre company became aware of this work and approached us. They will be using these tree cuttings as seats for their production before they are recycled or used for wood chippings."

City councillor Bob Timbs, board member for leisure and sport, said: "I know that all relevant tests, both sonic and probing, have been used to confirm that the trees that have been identified to be felled are for safety reasons, to protect the public in Headington Hill Park.

"New semi-mature trees will be planted to replace the fallen, although not in the same spot, but as near as possible."

Nicola West, Creation's producer of A Midsummer Night's Dream, said: "I can absolutely assure and promise that these trees have not been cut down for Creation Theatre.

"The council has been doing a survey of its trees and it has been told to cut down trees in all its parks for health-and-safety reasons.

"We were going to provide log or bench seating for our audiences which we were going to rent or buy in, so when the council said to us they were cutting down some trees it was perfect for us.

"It is great that we can use them as seating before they go for chipping."