A mystery tree-feller is chain-sawing down trees under the cover of darkness.

No one has any idea why, but more than 50 trees have been hacked down and simply left strewn on the ground in various locations around the small Surrey town of Weybridge in the borough of Elmbridge.

Residents have formed a Facebook action group called Elmbridge Tree Patrol to try and stop the audacious lumberjack, they accuse of “mindless vandalism”.

It now has more than 1,000 members.

But, despite late-night patrols, the trawling of hours of CCTV footage, appeals for doorbell cam videos, and even the use of number plate recognition technology, police are no nearer to identifying the perpetrator or perpetrators.

The feller has even cut down memorial trees, leaving families devastated.

Resident Tony Callaghan told Sky News: “It just seems to be nothing more than spiteful. There does not seem to be any other reason for it.”

He said the chain-sawing had been going on for at least a month and around 50 trees had been destroyed.

“It is such a terrible thing and nobody knows why it is happening – but the biggest conjecture has been around how they are doing it.”

He said a number of conspiracy theories had been developed about the kind of chainsaw being used.

“Some say it must be a battery saw because petrol ones make so much noise,” he said. “Other people say they have seen a red car nearby, others say they are maybe using a moped to get away.

“One of the recent trees had a bouquet placed on it and was a memorial to someone’s mother – it’s really sad.”

He said the first trees to be targeted were ones lining the River Thames between Weybridge and Walton-on-Thames, as well as into the neighbouring town of Cobham.

There was then a short period where the feller appeared to have stopped, but last weekend another eight were chopped down.

“These were really nice cherry trees, just about to blossom,” Mr Callaghan added.

Many residents have come forward and offered to mount night-time patrols but police are advising against it, largely because the person is carrying a chainsaw.

But an Elmbridge police spokeswoman said officers do need public help in other ways.

“Whoever is doing this is all over the place – and it is really sporadic, so we do need the public’s help,” she said.

Police have already made many enquiries following lots of calls from the public but are now also asking for any digital evidence of the suspect to be shared with them.

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