Rural carnage!

Until Monday morning this was a little copse of mixed mature woodland. It was home to hundreds of birds, foxes, badgers and other small mammals.
Without any prior notification to the 20 households living in this quiet little hamlet, men and machines moved in and demolished the lot. When challenged by residents they said they had a licence and the trees were unsafe. As you can see in the 'extra' pic of the felled trunks, there  are a few obviously dead or dying ones but the majority were healthy. Licence or not, it is illegal to fell trees during the nesting season  - the birds were flying round in great distress as their nests and babies were destroyed. The police were informed but could do nothing as they had a 'licence' - in any case the trees and nests could not be put back. 
So sad.