PARISH councillors in several West Somerset villages have been notified by Forestry England of timber harvesting work which will start shortly.

The work in the Croydon Hill South plantation, near Timberscombe, will start from Monkham Hill and move toward Druids Combe.

Forestry England spokeswoman Tara Maxamed said: “We expect work to last at least six months.

“Work will be a combination of thinning and clear-felling.

“Public rights of way will remain open, but we urge people to follow all signs relating to the work in order to keep safe.

“We understand residents may not be familiar with sustainable forest management and are keen to explain how this work supports long-term health and resilience of the forest.

“More information about this work is on our website.”

Ms Maxamed said Forestry England wanted to maintain continued timber production through clearfell/restock and lower impact methods, with native tree cover and associated ecosystem functioning where registered as ancient woodland.