A TREE planted more than 20 years ago by a daughter who wanted a place to remember her mother is one of dozens damaged in a spate of vandalism.

The Canadian oak was planted in 1991 at the Nothe Gardens in memory of Hilda Wilkins.

Mrs Wilkins died in Birmingham where her ashes were scattered – but daughter Christine Homer and son-in-law Alan had the tree planted in Weymouth because they always planned to retire to the town.

Mr Homer, 79, said: “We lived in Birmingham when Hilda died but our family are all over and we always knew Weymouth was the place we would retire. So we wanted something here to visit when we were not able to make the journey back to Birmingham.”

The Dorset Echo has launched a campaign to raise money to replace the trees that were damaged.

The borough council is in the process of assessing the damage to find out if any of the 41 trees can be salvaged. The matter has been reported to the police, who have stepped up patrols in the area.

Mr Homer said the 30-foot tree was surrounded every spring by daffodils, and a neighbour who walks her dog in the area would keep an eye on it and let them know when the spring flowers were out.

“Our grandchildren love visiting the tree when they come to see us. It is a beautiful place looking out over onto Portland.”

The couple were not living in Weymouth when it was planted, though they moved to the area permanently when they retired in 1998, and said the borough council were ‘as good as gold’ in helping them organise the planting.

They saw their tree had been damaged when the incident was reported in the Dorset Echo, and were contacted later by the council’s parks department.

Mr Homer said: “There are 41 trees that have been damaged. That’s not children messing about. It’s someone who is targeting them, and it seems to be the memorial trees that are being damaged.

“That is very sad.”

He added: “We chose the Canadian oak because they can live for 100 years. What a lovely memorial that is. We live in hope that it will survive but we will have to wait and see.

“It is such a shame.”

To donate to the appeal, you can write a cheque payable to The Friends of Nothe Gardens and send it to Dorset Echo, Fleet House, Hampshire Road, Weymouth DT4 9XD. Please do not send cash donations.