A parish councillor has called in the police after vandals chopped five feet off the top of a tree in her garden.

Jan Henshall came home on Sunday to find five feet missing from the top of her 30ft tall eucalyptus tree in her Wood Lane garden in Kingswear.

Police are investigating the incident which happened some time while she was out walking during the afternoon.

Ms Henshall, who has been a parish councillor in the village for the last six years, was a failed Liberal Democrat candidate in this month's election fight for the Kingswear and Dartmouth county council seat.

Ms Henshall, who runs a jewellery business in Dartmouth market, said: 'I came home after having had a wonderful walk through Longwoods, looking at all the bluebells, to discover that the top of my tree was missing.

'I was extremely upset. I was in tears on Sunday. I have reported the matter to the police, who are investigating.

'It now looks very sad having had the crown taken out.

'I find it hard to understand the mentality of somebody who would do that.'