Lib Dem-led council spends £10k to cut down ‘important' palm trees
The 35ft-tall trees were planted on the historic Esplanade in Weymouth, Dorset, in 2012, but town officials claimed they grew into a trip hazard after their roots made the surrounding ground uneven.
They will be replaced with two smaller 'cabbage palm' trees instead, officials said.
But the proposal has angered residents who said their removal would cause 'reputational damage' to Weymouth.
Dennis Clark, who lives nearby, said the trees are 'really important to the town' and a 'valuable feature'.
He added: 'I spoke with some of my friends about the palms and I was struck by the clarity of feeling about them
'The trees advertise and promote Weymouth and I believe they are an iconic feature of pride and quality for seaside towns.'
Councillor Helen Toft also said the removal of the trees would damage the town's reputation and called the decision to fell them 'wrong'.
Others took to social media to criticise the £10,000 proposed cost to remove the trees, branding it 'a waste of money'.
Christopher Bates said: 'Shouldn't council taxpayers be asked if this is an expense they want to have?'
He suggested the council should auction the palm trees to go towards raising money to pay for the work.
James Williams called the price of removal 'ridiculous', adding 'leave them be and stop dreaming up unnecessary projects'.
Another said: 'Del Boy would be proud to sell you a couple of trees for that sort of cash.'
A Weymouth town council spokesman said leaving the palms trees as they are will only increase the risk and cost.
They added: 'The trees have grown significantly since they were put in over a decade ago and are now causing structural damage to the promenade which needs to be managed now before any further repairs are needed.
'Councillors agreed they should be replaced with palms like those found further along the promenade which would still have visual impact. The stonework planters would also be repaired.
'Other palms along the seafront would be managed in the same way in future years.'
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Newsweek
Dog Who Endured Trauma and Tragedy Faces Biggest Test Yet: 'Never Give Up'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Dog lovers are rallying around a brave rescue Dachshund after her owner shared her heartbreaking story on social media. In a post shared on Reddit, u/frasnet introduced the online pet community to his senior rescue dog, Slinky, alongside three simple words: "never give up." It's an apt statement to include, given everything Slinky has been through. Frasnet, a British national living abroad who requested his real name be omitted from this story, told Newsweek he adopted Slinky in 2022. Their vet estimates Slinky to be around 7 years old when they brought her home. From the moment he laid eyes on her, it was clear Slinky had endured a difficult life. Even so, Frasnet was shocked and saddened at just how difficult it had been. "She was surrendered from illegal breeders with severe gum disease and gave birth to a stillborn puppy," he said. "She had all but 5 teeth removed and suffered nerve damage that affected her tongue and possibly her vocal cords as she doesn't bark normally." Slinky had to undergo reconstructive surgery to plug a hole in her gums that had left her nasal cavity exposed and uncomfortable. Frasnet and his wife already had two dogs, Belle and Zeina, but there was something about Slinky, when they first came across her online adoption profile, that made them determined to adopt. "We both just knew we could help her," he said. "Nobody wanted her. We saw her, listened to her backstory and immediately made arrangements to adopt her." Slinky the rescue dachshund lying on the grass. Slinky the rescue dachshund lying on the grass. Reddit/u/Frasnet Slinky could so easily have fallen between the cracks and ended up being consigned to a future stuck waiting in the shelter for a family that never comes. A 2021 study published in the journal Animals saw researchers attempt to narrow the most commonly seen characteristics of a long-term, shelter dog—a dog living in a shelter for 12 months or more. The results concluded that long-term shelter dogs were more often older in age, male, of large size, and considered a "dangerous breed." Slinky may not have fit all of those criteria, but her age undoubtedly counted against her. Frasnet and his wife preferred to focus their mental energies on making this dog, who had suffered so much, smile again. "It took about 18 months of nurturing to bring her out of her shell; she looked defeated," Frasnet said. "My wife cuddled her constantly, we started to take her on walks and she really started to get a personality." It seemed like Slinky was getting the happy ending she so richly deserved. But everything changed. "In January 2025 she started stumbling and we took her immediately for a checkup," Frasnet said. "Nothing showed on her blood tests or X-ray." It seemed like Slinky was on the mend from whatever illness she had been struck down by, but then a month ago, they noticed she was rapidly losing weight. Further X-rays, blood tests and two biopsies followed before it was confirmed she had cancer. Frasnet didn't waste any time getting Slinky the treatment she needed. "We decided she was losing weight so quickly we didn't have time to investigate and booked her in for surgery," he said. Slinky has had her tumor removed. Slinky has had her tumor removed. Reddit/u/Frasnet Though the operation was essential, Frasnet feared Slinky might not make it. "I made casts of her paws because she was so thin I didn't think she could handle the surgery," he said. But Slinky had already overcome so much and appeared determined to do that again. "She would have died in days without it, but [it] looks like she is pulling through," Frasnet said of the surgery. "She really is a fighter and is not ready to give up." Those words, "never give up," appeared as part of the Reddit post about Slinky's situation. The post has gotten a huge response with over 2,500 upvotes and a slew of comments offering support and encouragement during her cancer journey. "I'm cheering for you, Slinky. You go girl, stay strong," one user wrote. "Sending much love and wishes for healing," a second Redditor said. "May the feisty Doxie spirit carry you through recovery," a third person commented. Though Slinky is recovering well from the surgery, Frasnet is taking things one day at a time. "The mass has been sent for analysis to see what future treatment plan she needs. A lot is unknown right now with the key factor on her immediate healing, which is happening," he said. Right now, the outpouring of support has been much appreciated. Frasnet hopes Slinky's story serves as an important reminder about certain kinds of rescue dogs. "Old, disabled, ill-health animals need love too, especially when humans did this to her, breeding the next insta-pup, the mums just discarded," he said. "It really breaks our hearts how humans can be so horrible to animals that show such love."
Epoch Times
2 days ago
- Epoch Times
The British Pacific Fleet of WWII Finally Gets Its Story Told
The raids on Sumatra by the British Pacific Fleet is a little known piece of World War II history. In fact, according to Angus Konstam's new work, 'this is the first history of the Sumatra raids.' Konstam, one of the most prolific maritime historians living, has recently written a concise work on this brief piece of British naval history, entitled 'Sumatra 1944-45: The British Pacific Fleet's Oil Campaign in the Dutch East Indies.' The author, who hails from the UK, is not shy about why the history of these raids is so obscure. They were conducted in the shadow of the behemoth that had become the United States Navy. Catching Up Konstam discusses how the U.S. Navy had controlled the Pacific War and ultimately won it pretty much single-handedly. For their British counterparts, they were significantly behind in the advanced world of naval warfare. The British had long ruled the seas. But after World War I, the Royal Navy could no longer compete, specifically on an economic level, in building its naval fleet. Naval warfare had graduated from the battleship era to the carrier era, primarily because of the advances in aviation.
Forbes
5 days ago
- Forbes
Meet The Espresso Martini You Can Eat With A Spoon
If an espresso martini and a Jell-O shot had a wild child, this would be it. Cold, wiggly, and laced with coffee liqueur, it's the kind of dessert that makes you grin before you even take a bite. Six months ago, if you'd told me I'd be making homemade gelatin on repeat, I would've laughed and rolled my eyes. But here we are: it's the height of summer, and I can't stop churning out these chic, grown-up jellies. They're refreshing, just sweet enough, and—thanks to the extra gelatin—have a satisfyingly firm, bouncy texture. In Japan, coffee jelly has been a beloved treat for decades, served with whipped cream or doused with sweetened condensed milk. It has been traced back to early 19th century British cookbooks, and was mildly popular in New England, especially Boston, but never really gained traction elsewhere in America. I discovered it earlier this summer, on a sweltering afternoon, and the idea instantly hooked me. Just like ice coffee, it is cool, fresh and satisfying—but I knew mine needed a spirited twist. Japanese coffee jelly is basically strong coffee, water, sugar, and gelatin. It is served either alone, with whipped cream or doused in sweetened condensed milk. As good as that sounds, I thought an 'espresso martini' version would be even better. I didn't want it to be exactly like Jell-O. I wanted the texture to be firmer, so I added twice as much gelatin which means that this is a refreshing treat that also has a bit more collagen and protein in the mix. Because Kahlúa already has both the sugar and the coffee I decided to use that as my spirited base. I made a couple of long espressos and topped them off with enough water to equal one cup. I dissolved the gelatin in one cup of Kahlúa in a small square glass container, and heated the espresso-water mixer until it was very hot. You want part of the liquid to be quite hot but not boiling. Once you add the hot liquid to the cool gelatin-Kahlúa mixture, you want to stir until all the gelatin is completely dissolved. Let it cool on the counter for about 15 minutes and pop it in the fridge for 5-24 hours or overnight. By the next day, you'll have a glossy, jiggly block of boozy coffee jelly. Slice it into one-inch squares—small enough to pop into your mouth, big enough to savor. To serve, you can keep it simple or add some decadence. I like it on the simple side either straight up, or with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream on the bottom of the dish. You can also dress it up with ice cream, chocolate shavings, a pour of heavy cream, or a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk for a richer creamier bite. Espresso Martini Jelly A tipsy twist on Japanese Coffee Jelly Makes: about 4 servings Irish Coffee Variation: Swap the Kahlúa for ¼ cup Irish whiskey, add 2 tablespoons sugar, and use 1¾ cups strong coffee Think of it as an 'Irish Jig' Jelly. Ingredients: 1 cup Kahlúa 2 long shots of espresso plus enough water to make 1 cup ½ ounce gelatin (such as 2 envelopes of Knox gelatin) Special equipment: 5–6 inch square glass dish, preferably with a lid Method:
