Villagers are furious about a council "chainsaw massacre" they say destroyed a row of mature trees without consultation.

After the October storms, residents in Windrush Road, Berinsfield, told Oxfordshire County Council that two rowan trees had blown down on one side of the primary school's playing field.

They also told the council that two of the nine handsome trees still standing had slight storm-damage and needed supporting.

But they were horrified when two men turned up the next day and cut down seven trees with a chainsaw.

Local resident Jean Booth said: "Five of the trees had nothing wrong with them except they leaned due to the prevailing wind. But they've been like that for 15 years.

"We as residents who live near the trees tried to save them by asking if they could be shored up. It's so sad, all our children and grandchildren have played in and round them. It's spoiled the outlook for eight houses."

Berinsfield's district councillor is also angry. Marc Hiles can remember helping to plant the trees 30 years ago when he was in 966 Squadron Air Training Corps.

He said: "This is typical of the county council's attitude to us no consultation. The parish council is demanding the trees be replaced immediately with mature trees."

A spokesman for the county council said the experienced contractors must have believed the trees were an immediate danger.