A YORK pensioner says the council has spoiled one of the city's beauty spots with measures it says are designed to protect the area.

Joyce Elliott, 76, from St Mary's Terrace, says the area between Lendal Bridge and Marygate, known as Judi Dench Walk, has now been ruined for local people and tourists because of fencing which boxes in more than 20 trees.

She says the fences, which are almost a foot high and are made of wood and metal, spoil the trees which have been there for years.

Mrs Elliott, who has lived in the area all her life and uses the walk way often, noticed the new fencing last weekend.

She said: "It looks awful. It spoils the walk which is a beautiful part of the city with magnificent trees.

"When you come down from Lendal Bridge all you see is rows and rows of the fences. It is awful because it is a lovely walk."

"This is important to the City of York and I think this is a waste if money.

"It is a beautiful walk and this is unbelievable."

But City of York Council says the new fencing is simply part of a scheme to protect the trees and improve the area.

Brian Williams, the council's parks and open spaces officer, said: "As part of the overall scheme to improve Judi Dench Walk, the old, uneven, York stone paving has been lifted and re-laid.

"We have left the area directly surrounding each tree as bare earth to prevent the paving being damaged by tree roots.

"The diamond rail fencing surrounding each tree is designed to protect the soil around the trees from compaction by vehicles and pedestrians. We feel that the work has greatly improved the area, but obviously these things are a matter of personal taste."

Updated: 09:31 Wednesday, March 26, 2003