WORK started on Monday, July 16, to fell 10 beech trees and carry out remedial work to a number of others standing along a tree-lined avenue near Badbury Rings.

Officials at the National Trust say they must carry out the work along the B3082 north of Wimborne, for the third year running, for safety reasons.

The road, also known as Beech Avenue, runs through the Kingston Lacy estate and the work is estimated to take around two weeks to complete.

During the felling, temporary traffic lights will be in operation.

Last year, the trust had to fell 11 trees, and 12 months earlier seven were lost and 65 were cut along the same stretch of highway.

The trees were among 731 planted in the 1830s by the Bankes family.

There are more than 500 trees still standing but as beech trees only live for between 150 and 200 years, they are beginning to reach the end of their natural lives. Nigel Chalk, the National Trust's gardens and country-side manager at Kingston Lacy, said: "As these trees reach old age, they are more vulnerable to losing their limbs or falling in high winds.

"In recent years, we have had to intervene to ensure they don't become a public hazard and this trend is set to continue.

"However, where possible we undertake tree surgery to prolong the lives of the trees."

The National Trust previously said it would not replace felled trees with saplings wit-hin the avenue, as there wasn't enough light for the young trees to establish themselves.

However, in the 1980s, the trust realised the avenue would eventually need to be replaced and planted an outer avenue of beech. It says it now spends on average £25,000 a year on tree safety work for Beech Avenue.