“Botched”, “unnecessary”, and “over zealous” council maintenance works in Oxhey Woods have been suspended after a deluge of complaints from angry residents.

Three Rivers District Council, owner of the 250 acre site, began work last year to remove all Rhododendron shrubs from the woods – an action it said would improve bio-diversity.

Residents, however, claimed the work – most of it carried out by heavy machinery – has achieved nothing save for the “desecration” of a once cherished beauty spot.

They have welcomed a council announcement calling an immediate halt to the work.

Dog walkers, councillors, and the Friends of Oxhey Woods conservation group all expressed alarm at the work, which, they said, has destroyed previously pristine footpaths.

Mechanical diggers, they believe, have left the once popular routes looking like a muddy battlefield - impassable and potentially dangerous.

The council said that, given the level of opposition received, all work on the £25,000 project had been suspended pending further consultation.

Local resident Liz Hamilton-Smith, however, said the announcement was “too little too late.”

She added: “What has happened to the woods is tragic. They have been totally desecrated. The footpaths are now so dangerous that nobody wants to walk on them.

“I think they should actually be closed to the public before somebody is seriously hurt.”

Councillor Kemal Butt, whose Moor Park and Eastbury Ward covers part of the site, called the damage appalling.

He criticised the council’s lack of consultation on the work. He said: “These woods belong to the community. They are for everybody to enjoy.

“It is sad that this level of work began without these people being asked what they wanted.

“I have visited the site and the damage caused has been appalling – many footpaths are now dangerous to walk along.

Friends of Oxhey Wood Chairman Councillor Phil Redshaw said he hoped that any future work would be carried out in a more sympathetic way.

He is also seeking assurances about the future of the historic Rhododendron Walk – a thin path surrounded on both sides by the picturesque shrub.

WHAT THE EXPERT SAID: Rob Dewar has worked as a full-time ranger with the National Trust of Scotland for the last seven years.

He has been tasked with many similar projects to remove Rhododendron shrubs.

Although keen not to criticise Three Rivers District Council without examining the work for himself, he told the Watford Observer that, where possible, the use of heavy machinery should be avoided.

He said: “When you use machinery you basically rip the whole plant from the ground, which can cause a lot of soil damage.

“I would always favour stem injections, where you drill into the stem of a plant and pour in a special chemical. This can kill off the plants in a matter of months or longer.

“It’s certainly more time consuming but its environmental impact is not so great.”