VILLAGERS fear ancient Britons may have been uprooted along with prison screening trees.

Bickershaw people fear tree felling has upset badgers as well as putting Hindley Prison in full view.

Bickershaw Residents' Action Group member and Liberal Democrat activist Brian Frain called in wildlife experts after the local authority sold a patch of land near Hindley Prison.

Since the sale he claims trees have been felled leaving the prison clearly visible from the main road and believes a badger sett may have been inadvertently destroyed.

Advised by English Nature and the Badger Conservation Group Mr Frain called-in a Police wildlife officer who has recommended a full scale survey of the area.

And Mr Frain says locals are questioning the sale of the land without a covenant to preserve trees planted at public expense for a particular purpose.

But Wigan Council say the badger claims are without foundation and if their investigations had shown there were badgers in the area they would have acted to prevent them being disturbed.

A spokesman said:"Even the Badger Conservation Group has told use they can't see any evidence of badgers there."

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