RAIL chiefs have come under fire from a town's MP for chopping down trees along a train track.

Alan Milburn, MP for Darlington, has told residents of Wederly Close, off Brinkburn Road, he will ask Network Rail to replace the trees the company felled behind their homes.

People living in the road say the trees formed a screen which reduced noise from trains and gave them privacy. Now they say noise levels are horrendous and rail passengers can see directly into their homes.

A spokeswoman for Mr Milburn said a number of residents had written to him about the problem.

"They can't put the trees back but we'd like to ask Network Rail what they are going to do to put something there as a substitute. The residents need something there to stop the noise and to make it less unattractive to look at," she said.

Network Rail has told residents the trees were removed for safety reasons, because vandals were building dens in the branches.

Eileen Taylor, whose home overlooks the line, said dens could not have been built in the sycamores that were felled.

"If it was a safety issue we would be the first to say the trees must come down," she said. But the track which is heavily used was nowhere near the trees. We think they may have got the wrong ones. It was heartbreaking to see them come down. There was so much wildlife in there. They can't put the trees back but what we would like is some kind of screen."

Neighbour Ty Hankinson agreed. "I couldn't believe they just chopped them down," he said. "I am now angry and frustrated that they are not doing anything about it."

A Network Rail spokesman said the right trees were chopped down.

"In terms of replacing the trees, for safety reasons we won't be planting any more. We are in the process of erecting security fencing."