VILLAGERS campaigning to save the trees in their community have vowed to keep fighting despite receiving two set backs.

Power company Northern Electric Distribution (NEDL) says it needs to clear the canopies of about 40 trees in North Close, near Spennymoor, through which overhead cables run.

It plans to fell about half of the trees and prune the rest.

But the proposal has angered residents of the leafy hamlet, who say the trees are important for the environment, wildlife and local amenity.

About 40 residents attended a public meeting at Kirk Merrington Community Centre, on Thursday.

Sedgefield Borough Council's tree preservation officer, Roger Lowe, told residents that utility companies have a statutory right to carry out such work to protect or repair power supplies.

And he said that because of that statutory right, placing tree preservation orders on the trees earmarked for felling or pruning would be futile.

He said: "If it was anyone but a statutory body I would certainly have made 15 orders by now. But as that would do no good I think we all need to work together to come up with a more wide-ranging, long-term solution for the problem."

Residents, who say the power supply to several homes in North Close is already poor, hope that the power company will consider upgrading the village's supply cables and placing the network underground.

Mr Lowe said the council would discuss the option with NEDL, a representative from which will be invited to meet with officers and residents to discuss their concerns.

Resident Louise Black said: "We will do what it take to save these trees from destruction."