Urgent concerns have been raised over "devastating" tree felling at one of Norfolk’s woodland beauty spots, which an MP claims has disturbed nesting birds and “trashed” the forest.

Bacton Wood, also known as Witton Wood, has been thinned out by recent tree felling, with pictures surfacing of chopped down trees and tyre tracks of heavy machinery in the churned-up forest floor.

Now, Duncan Baker, MP for North Norfolk, has accused Forestry England, which manages the area of woodland east of North Walsham, of breaching bird protection laws by harvesting timber during the nesting season.  

The Wildlife and Countryside Act states it is illegal to intentionally or recklessly damage, destroy or interfere with the nests of wild birds - and this month's work falls during the RSPCA's February to August nesting season. 

North Norfolk News: Tyre tracks of heavy machinery, which has churned up the ground in Bacton Wood/Witton Wood east of North WalshamTyre tracks of heavy machinery, which has churned up the ground in Bacton Wood/Witton Wood east of North Walsham (Image: Supplied)

In a public letter to Forestry England’s chief executive, Mr Baker said: “Extraction is being carried out during the peak nesting season for birds, which is surely in clear breach of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.

“A huge amount of disturbance and damage has already been done during just the first week of work.

“The forest floor itself is being damaged by the use of heavy machinery.

North Norfolk News: Chopped down trees at Bacton/Witton Wood Chopped down trees at Bacton/Witton Wood (Image: Supplied)

“Large areas of woodland, especially those further inside the site, have had deep, rutted tracks gouged through them, and there is debris everywhere.

“Surely this cannot be excused as habitat creation, or effective, sensitive management - but is wholesale destruction of the existing ecosystem.”

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North Norfolk News: Damage at Bacton Wood/Witton WoodDamage at Bacton Wood/Witton Wood (Image: Supplied)

Forestry England, which has agreed to meet with the MP on Friday (May 10), says it "carefully balances the need for woodland management and sustainable timber with the year-round activity of wildlife".

It adds "there is no risk-free time of the year to harvest timber", and therefore it has to work in "drier conditions, which are more likely to fall within the bird breeding season".