TAXPAYERS and landowners could face a bill of nearly half a million pounds to fell 160 diseased and potentially dangerous conker trees.

The trees, some of which are situated in Great Harwood's Memorial Park, have been affected by the disease, phytophthora bleeding canker, which attacks bark leaving it vulnerable to infection, the wood brittle and the branches prone to fall off.

And if the disease spreads further, as climate change produces more favourable warmer wetter conditions, the figure could rise.

People with affected horse chestnut trees on their land or garden have also been told that they will have to foot the removal costs, which could reach £3,000 per tree.

The fungal disease hit the headlines in July and has now infected 160 trees in Hyndburn. In the Memorial Park, 27 have been felled and 33 face the chop by an outside contractor at a cost of £25,000.

The trees' potential safety hazard led the council to consider the drastic action and issue a warning to parents about the dangers.

Diseased trees have been spotted at Stanhill, in the Woodlands, Mercer Park and All Saints areas of Clayton-le Moors, the Dunkenhalgh Hotel area, Accrington Cemetery, Altham Industrial Estate, Accrington and Rossendale College and the nearby ambulance station and Hollins Lane.

The loss of the trees could leave the district's Cubs without conkers in this year's October games for the first time since they started 25 years ago.

Coun Tim O'Kane said: "We were concerned that the council did not have enough money set aside for the potential felling of the trees.

Council official Steve Tanti said: "Ninety trees are on private land and out of the control of the authority and if you take the trees in Memorial Park that are being felled out of the equation, that leaves around 20 and these will be dealt with by the council."

Hyndburn Council's trees and woodland officer Mark Cocks said: "Responsible landowners have a duty of care to those present on their land, especially children, so horse chestnut trees can't be left in a potentially dangerous state. The cost of felling can range from about £300 to £500 for a straightforward operation, up to £3,000 for a large tree in a difficult location.

"We do not yet know whether this outbreak will become permanently established. But continued climate change will produce conditions favourable for this and other plant diseases".

"We believe the disease affecting horse chestnut trees is taking about three growing seasons to seriously affect or kill infected trees, depending on their size and health.

"All sizes are being affected, both in public and private ownership."