Fuming Brenda Tidd, 66, contacted the Observer after seeing dozens of established cedar trees near Broadfield House, Brighton Road, reduced to stumps and sawdust.

Brenda, from Wakehurst Drive, Southgate, said: "I went up there with the dogs last week and I could not believe it. Some of the trees must have been 100-years-old.

"It's a beautiful site. These were huge trees though – really beautiful."

And animal-fan Brenda, says she is distraught to think of the wildlife that have lost their homes.

She said: "There is a lot of deer up there. This is the worst time of year to cut down trees. Where will the animals go now?

"Their natural habitats have been destroyed. Because of things like this happening to Crawley I can't tell you how many times I have taken animals to sanctuaries."

A council spokesman said: "It's always a shame to remove trees and we know just how popular this area is with walkers and local residents.

"However, we were faced with a dilemma – either carry out vital maintenance work on the 100-year-old lake or drain it and leave a muddy pond.

"On balance we felt people would prefer the lake to be maintained, but to do this we need to use very large equipment. Sadly that meant removing some trees and shrubs to gain access to the dam wall.

"We've done the preparatory work before birds start to nest but the main work on the lake will start in the late summer. We are very sorry for the disruption but the work will be relatively short-lived and it does give us the opportunity to create a more diverse environment in the future and to improve pathways and other facilities."

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