TWO Evesham councillors are asking the town council next Monday to ratify a scheme for replacing trees missing from the High Street.

Deputy mayor Jo Sandalls and Roma Kirke have been working for upwards of 18 months to get a scheme organised to fill in the gaps.

"These are trees which have been taken down over the years and never replaced, leaving big gaps in the High Street scene," Cllr Sandalls said.

Cllr Kirke said they had identified and received £16,400 for a scheme to replace eight of the trees. "It has taken months and months of hard work and this is just bringing it all together," she said.

The councillors said Vale Landscape Heritage Trust, the Civic Society, Transport 200, Advantage West Midlands and Wychavon District Council had all been involved in various aspects of the scheme.

Cllr Sandalls explained: "The whole point is that because we realised that the High Street regeneration scheme will not be coming on stream in the foreseeable future, we are trying to do something that will enhance the town centre in the meantime."

She stressed: "Our project will not in any way interfere with the High Street regeneration programme.

"We have worked with council officers throughout to make sure of that."