Tamworth Regional Council sport and recreation manager, Paul Kelly, said there was no choice but to remove the Lomardy poplars on Ebsworth Street.

A few of the trees have fallen recently and an assessment by an aborist deemed the trees to have "reached the end of their useful life".

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Mr Kelly said the line of trees was in serious decline due to old age, poplar rust and borer damage.

"The ongoing drought appears to have further impacted the health of the trees," he said.

"Following tree assessment reports, council has had to make the decision to remove these trees to due safety reasons - there have already been a couple which have fallen in recent times."

Specialist council staff will cut the trees down this weekend which will affect traffic in the area.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane in the section of Ebsworth Street between Bridge and Barnes streets to allow the work to be completed.

Traffic will be diverted using Denne and William streets. Work will take place between 7am and 2pm each day.

Motorists are asked to take extra care and reduce their speed to 40 km/h travelling in the area during the works.

Mr Kelly said the trees will be replaced with a row of 36 advanced Manchurian Pears, a deciduous species with dark green leaves which turn a rich dark red in autumn.

"However, providing the drought has broken, the planting will be delayed until July 2020 to take advantage of the spring growing period," he said.

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