ALTON'S millennium yew tree copse has been vandalised beyond redemption.
Located alongside a time capsule on land between Fontwell Drive and Lingfield Close, the commemorative arc of seven yew trees was planted in January this year and all but one is said to have been destroyed by the attack on Monday evening.
Geoff Thorne, former chairman of the Alton Millennium Group, whose members fought long and hard to find a suitable site for the trees, is devastated by the attack. "It is a sad reflection of our times that anyone would find it satisfying to do this," he said.
Millennium group colleague councillor Pam Jones said she was "sickened" by what she describes as a "mindless act of vandalism" carried out by a group of youths who were seen congregating in the area at around 8 pm on Monday.
Mrs Jones nurtured the saplings for two and a half years on her patio. Each sapling had been taken from ancient trees, amongst them the Selborne yew, and in that sense may be irreplaceable.
She believes the incident is a symptom of increased vandalism in the town and that local people must know who the culprits are.
Not to be beaten, she is keen to replant the yew copse using larger saplings which will need stronger guards, and she is hoping that people in the area will keep an eye on them and report any future vandalism.
"There is no point in replacing the trees until the autumn when hopefully the colder weather and darker evenings will help to deter vandals and give the yews longer to get established," she said.
The yew tree was designated the 'Tree of the Millennium" due to its longevity, and the planting formed part of a nation-wide project to mark the occasion.