Alresford residents are up in arms over a wildlife habitat, near their homes, which they claim is being destroyed.

The neighbours say they were recently left livid when more than 40 trees were felled by the owners at the former railway cutting between Bridge Road and New Farm Road.

The 1.6-acre site, a haunt of birds, including owls, slow worms and bats, which backs onto their homes, was bought speculatively for development 30 years by Nigel Woodham and Laurie Cook. But no plan for housing has ever been approved.

Residents claim that the land has now been reduced to a mere patch of stumps and the owners have broken the Wildlife and Countryside Act in 1981, which prohibits the disturbance of nesting wild birds.

Alresford Police are now looking into whether the owners have acted illegally, while residents are rallying around and criticising the city council for not acting sooner.

Tim Clapp, whose house in New Farm Road, abuts the land, said: "We're all upset. It's sheer vandalism of the environment. People like Alresford because it is near the countryside. Do we want to have wild birds flying around in the future or not?"

Malcolm Flemming, his next door neighbour, described the state of the area after the group of sycamores and coppice trees had been felled, as an "embarrassment to the town".

The owners have currently put the land on the market for £1.6m and are seeking planning permission on the site.

The town council had the land allotted as a recreational area in the local plan four years ago, but the owners appealed and a government inspector removed the designation. He said there was no point designating it as such, but he also felt the land would be difficult to develop.

Some trees were felled on the site some years ago, according to the town council, who added that the owners had agreed last year not to fell any more.

Robin Atkins, town councillor, described it as "outrageous" and "the most appalling piece of devastation of the Alresford environment for many years".

Simon Cook, Lib Dem members for the Alresfords, said: "It is a bit of a scandal that the owners have treated the resident is such a cavalier way."

Asked to comment, Mr Woodham said he was unable to do so at this stage.