Two parks in Flintshire have announced that several trees will need to be felled this year due to a killer disease. 

Loggerheads Country Park in Mold and Green Valley Museum Heritage Park in Holywell have both confirmed the felling of several trees within their grounds due to infection of ash dieback disease. 

Ash dieback was first confirmed in Flintshire in 2015 and is now widespread affecting ash trees of all ages.

It has the potential to infect more than two billion UK ash trees and lead to the death of approximately 90 per cent of them.

As a result, there are significant safety implications for the council and landowners where ash trees are situated near to people or property.

Young trees are usually killed over a period of several months whilst mature trees decline over several years. Following initial infection by ash dieback mature trees are likely to be subject to secondary infection by other pathogens.

In a post via social media Green Valley Museum Heritage park said: "This season we will see a significant amount of tree felling happening in Greenfield Valley. This is because of a disease which effects Ash Trees.

"It is accepted that every ash tree in the county has been exposed and will be affected to some degree. It is expected the disease will kill around 80% of ash trees and that a further 20% are likely to be killed by a secondary infection as trees lose their vigour and become susceptible [to] other tree diseases."

The heritage park advised the public that although some trees may appear healthy they can still be infected as the fungus grows inside of the tree. 

A spokesperson for the heritage park continued: "This work is carried out by qualified, knowledgeable and skilled professionals and is done for the safety of the community and the sustainable management of the woodland."

Professionals have taken to the park to mark the diseased trees which will be felled, however the heritage park has reported that a copycat has imitated the markings on several other trees in the park.

The spokesperson added "We have a record of the trees we mark and can tell which trees are the additional marks that someone else has added which include healthy Oak and Beech - these trees will not be felled."

Read more: 

Loggerheads country park announced on February 6 that they too would be felling several trees that had become infected by the disease. 

A spokesperson for Loggerheads Country Park said: "Ash dieback disease is affecting the woodland here at Loggerheads Country Park.

"Trees affected by the disease die back from the tips of the branches and eventually become unsafe.

"Where these trees are close to paths or buildings we will have to remove them for safety reasons."

The park closed the industrial trail during the duration of February 6, to allow for several trees to be felled.