PLANS to fell scores of trees in a Lancaster park have been sent back to the drawing board following fears the scheme was too radical.

City council officers had drawn up proposals to improve the woodland off Wyresdale Road in Williamson Park, which would have included 200 trees being removed and replaced with other species.

But following concern from local residents, park manager Elaine Charlton said she had asked for the scheme to be revised, with fewer trees felled.

Diane Zajac, 37, of Bradshaw Street, who regularly walks her mother's dog around the " beautiful" woodland, became concerned when she saw orange and white dots on some of the trees.

She contacted the council, and discovered it proposed to fell some of the trees as part of a five-year woodland management plan.

"Some have been there since the park was planted 100 years ago.

I'm just concerned these trees are going to be lost for good," said Miss Zajac.

"As you walk up to Williamson Park you see a wall of trees, which is stunning in winter, autumn and summer.

It's a beautiful woodland and should be kept that way."

Miss Zajac was also concerned at the potential loss of habitats for the park's resident wildlife.

Mrs Charlton said the sycamore woodland was planted in 1860, although very little work had been done to it over the last 50 years.

As a result, it was in a poor condition, dominated by a canopy of hardy sycamore trees, which were blocking out the light to other trees.

Mrs Charlton said the original plans were for around 200 less-interesting, weaker or damaged trees to be taken out in order to regenerate the woodland.

But after considering the scheme, she had asked for it to be made more sympathetic.

"I am not comfortable with changing the landscape so dramatically that people find it difficult to live with," she said.

"We are not trying to destroy the woodland, we are trying to ensure it will be there in another 100 years."

Mrs Charlton expected a revised scheme to be submitted within the next few weeks.