What's your view on the trees in Tenby's South Parade? That's the question being put to local groups by the town council this week. The council is concerned that the current trees are obscuring the town walls and their roots are lifting the paving. Their concerns have also been shared by Tenby resident, Mr. John Tipton. In a letter to the council, which came before their meeting on Tuesday night, he said that when the trees were planted, an assurance was given that they would not grow higher than the wall. "They now tower above it by 10 or 15 feet, dominating the most important feature of Tenby's medieval history," he pointed out. "Of immediate concern, their roots are now lifting the paving; this will get worse and they will also penetrate below the roadway and the wall itself," continued Mr. Tipton. "The responsibility now lies with the county, but would it not be timely for Tenby Town Council, on behalf of its electorate, to propose their replacement with a much smaller type, possibly cherry or crab apple - but not so-called palms - which would, in season, enhance the promenade without concealing the wall?" he suggested. Clr. Caroline Thomas agreed with Mr. Tipton's letter. "The trees are so big now that they are obscuring the walls," she said. "I think Mr. Tipton's idea will look much better." However, Clr. Trevor Hallett felt Tenby had the 'best of both worlds'. "We have the area that is shaded for people to sit on a summer's day and the part below the Five Arches where you can see the walls," he said. Mayor, Clr. Mrs. Sue Lane, who pointed out that approximately 10 years ago, the council had suggested thinning out the trees, did not agree. "It seems criminal that as instigators of the Walled Town Friendship Circle we have our walls hidden," she said. "Nobody is going to cut the trees down, but we need to put a policy in place so when they are no longer able to stay there we can take action." Deputy Mayor, Clr. Mrs. Tish Rossiter, thanked Mr. Tipton for his letter. "Unless something is done now, we are heading for pedestrian claims against Pembrokeshire County Council and damage to our town walls which is our heritage," she said. "We must preserve the walls and I hope Pembrokeshire County Council does something about it." The town council will now contact local groups and organisations asking for their views, before meeting to discuss the future of the trees. "We need to invite local groups to meet and then come to us with their views, so we can formulate a policy and take the matter forward," said county councillor Mike Evans.