Controversial work to clear Rhododendron shrubs from Oxhey Woods restarted this week, despite protests from furious residents and councillors.

Three Rivers District Council, owner of the 250 acre woodland, resumed work to rip out the plants with heavy machinery – just two weeks after it promised to consult further with residents.

Objectors, who claim the work has achieved little save for the “desecration” of hundreds of years of history, have accused the authority of arrogantly ignoring their views.

They claim its programme of improvements, designed to “promote biodiversity”, has turned pristine footpaths into muddy and dangerous quagmires.

Dog walker Liz Hamilton-Smith, who this week highlighted the case on the Sunday Telegraph’s letters page, said council officers had shown contempt for residents.

She said: “They have been told by so many people what they are doing is wrong – but they just won’t listen “They have simply paid lip service to our complaints and ploughed ahead regardless with what they wanted to do. They have just not listened to us.

“Everyone has put a lot of time and effort into making them see reason. It looks as though they have wasted their time.”

Labour councillor and Friends of Oxhey Woods chairman Phil Redshaw agreed and urged the authority to urgently rethink its actions.

He said the ruling Liberal Democrat administration needed to overrule its civil servants and take urgent action.

He said: “The problem is that this work has gone seriously wrong and the council’s leadership doesn’t seem to want to know about it.

“Council officers have been allowed to make the decision on how to carry out the work and have naturally gone for the cheapest option. Unfortunately this is also the most destructive.

“The council leader [Ann Shaw] and chief executive [Steven Halls] really need to see the woods for themselves.

"They need to fall flat on their faces in mud to understand why what has happened is so wrong and do something about it.

“Nobody is complaining here about the need to take this stuff out. We are angry about the way it has been done and the damage it has caused.”

The work will remove a further three acres of Rhododendron and the clearance of debris and dumped rubbish.

Three Rivers District Council again defended the scheme. Principal Landscape Officer Julie Hughes said: “I recognise that the conservation work is controversial in the short term but we are taking the long view - protecting the ancient woods for future generations.”