A Putney couple have been ordered to rip out the trees on their allotment plot by Wandsworth Council - despite having been granted permission to plant them a decade earlier.

Keith Halliday and Carole Halliday-Watts, of Howards Lane, are both retired and have been plot tenants at Putney Vale Allotments for more than 10 years.

The couple were sent an email on Christmas Eve by the council demanding they pull out the trees growing in the plot - or a contractor would do it for them.

The email from Paul McCue, deputy director of leisure and amenities services, read: “I must therefore give notice that if you have not removed the saplings by January 16 2009, I confirm that the council will itself take the necessary action for their removal.”

Mr Halliday said: “It's just crazy. Officialdom gone mad. While other organisations from Sainsbury’s through to the National Tree Council are planting trees, Wandsworth Council is demanding that we rip up the trees growing harmlessly on our plot."

The council says the allotments are for the cultivation of vegetables and trees are an impediment to the growing of vegetables and must, therefore, be removed.

The trees, mainly fruit trees and some for hedging, were planted by the Hallidays 10 years ago and permission to plant the trees was given by the site manager at the time and received the approval of the parks director.

Nine years on, the same parks official decided the trees had to go.

“Our neighbours aren't troubled by the trees and they don't obstruct paths or shade other plots,” added Mr Halliday. “We are devastated and dumbfounded by official demands to get rid of our trees.

"This official's views puts Wandsworth at odds with the wider green movement and with plotholders throughout the borough.”

A council spokesman disputed Mr Halliday’s claim of initially having council permission to plant the trees and added: “Trees are not allowed on allotments for the common sense reasons. They deprive neighbouring plots of sunlight and also take away moisture from the ground, which can prevent plants on neighbouring plots from growing healthily.”