TREES which provided springtime blossom next to Huddersfield's ring road have been ripped out.

About eight trees have been removed from green space in front of Huddersfield police headquarters, Castlegate, as part of a scheme to revamp the area surrounding the Civic Centre.

Some people have complained about the move.

The three-year project by Kirklees Council will see old shrubs - originally planted when the ring road was constructed during the 1970s - replaced with plants providing interest all-year round.

The trees will be replanted by the summer, according to Examiner gardening expert Graham Porter, who is spearheading the facelift.

He said: "The trees taken out were in most cases seriously diseased and neglected, so we only had one simple choice.

"We felt rather than trying to retain worn out and exhausted trees it would be better to make a fresh start.

"There will be four new trees going in before the summer and up to a dozen before the end of the project.

"I hope the works will not only improve the image that local people and employees get when they are using and working in this area, but that it will help to give visitors a fresh image of Huddersfield."

He could not confirm the species of trees to be replanted but said they would not be the same cherry blossoms that were removed.

He said: "They are not going to be cherry trees because they look lovely for two weeks of the year and awful for the rest of the time. The trees going back in will have more colour and interest throughout the year."

But a Huddersfield woman who did not want to be named, told the Examiner: "It is disgusting they have felled the trees in Castlegate.

"Every year they gave a wonderful display and it was the first sign of spring.

"I have heard they are going to be replaced by bedding plants to bring a splash of colour but they won't hide the concrete and glass building as the trees did."

A Kirklees Council leisure spokesman said: "The trees which have been taken out were well past their `sell-by' date and have been removed to make way for better quality trees and new ornamental planting."