'Oak death' alert on council land

Inspectors are surveying land owned by a Cornish council as part of a programme to contain the spread of plant disease, sudden oak death.

A mature rhododendron at the Restormel Council Offices in St Austell has been diagnosed with the contagious disease.

Defra has advised that all parts of the rhododendrons in the border leading up to Pondhu School should be removed.

Phytophthora ramorum affects a variety of species and has been found at other sites in Cornwall in the past.

The work to destroy the plants will start later this week.

The first confirmed outbreak of the disease in the UK was in April 2002.

Native English oak is not susceptible to the disease, although other common trees like beeches, conifers, spruces and firs are.

Dying leaves are a classic sign of sudden oak death, but more advanced symptoms include the blistering of the trunk.

In the UK, it has mainly been found on rhododendron, viburnum and camellia plants, causing infection of shoots and leaves.