TREES bordering a Newport primary school are to be cut down because they have been poisoned.

Three beech trees at Mount Pleasant Primary, Rogerstone, were found to have been drilled with holes and stuffed with poisonous copper piping.

Experts have already felled one of the trees, and will return to destroy the remaining two, which are now dying.

Head teacher Clive Waters (pictured) said: "This is a tragedy and the children are upset by it. "I've had to explain to them that someone has killed the trees. I'd love to know why they did it, but I'm flabbergasted - we haven't had an explanation.

"The three trees back onto a resident's garden but are clearly on our property." Mr Waters said experts had discovered the trunks were drilled and had copper pipes inserted in the holes.

"Copper is quite deadly to trees. It finished off the first tree and the other two will have to go," he said.

"We are trying to promote caring for the environment among the children, but what message does this send out?"

Governors were also appalled by the damage to the mature beech trees, which stand around 20m tall and are some 30 years old.

"The felled tree had to be removed for the children's safety," Mr Waters added. "The school will also have to pay for the felling and the removal of the wood.

"The governors are adamant we seek to get the person responsible to pay for it." Tree officers from Newport council inspected the site and removed a tree last Friday. A council spokeswoman said: "There has been significant damage to these trees and we are taking advice as to what our next steps should be."