Broughton community pulls together to save conker trees

After reports about the plight of the horse chestnut tree, the group decided to try to prevent more from dying, with some already having moths in their leaves.

The group are hoping to halt the life cycle of the moth, meaning the trees wouldn’t have as many attacking them next year.

Village resident Cindy Waterfield said: “A group of us collected the leaves while another group incinerated them at a local safe place in the allotments.

“The plan is: if we could halt the life cycle of the moth, we could be helping the tree because it wouldn’t have as many moths attacking it next year.

“So, we started by collecting the leaves instead of letting the leaves with the grubs inside rot into the ground which only come up the next year.

“In a few hours, we managed to make a big dent and plans are to go back out next weekend and do the same again.”

Mrs Waterfield urged people in other towns and villages to take the same approach to save their conker trees.

She said: “We filled over 30 bags with leaves in two hours and took only a couple to burn it all.

“If more communities could work together, not all the trees need die.

“They just need a little help.”