IMPORTS of ash trees will be banned from tomorrow in an attempt to stop the spread of a disease which has devastated them in Europe.
UK environment secretary Owen Paterson said he was "ready to go" with legislation to ban ash imports, which have been blamed for introducing the chalara fraxinea fungus to the UK.
The fungus, which causes leaf loss and crown dieback and can lead to tree death, has wiped out 90% of ash trees in Denmark in seven years and is becoming widespread throughout central Europe.
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