Sheffield City Council has hit back at the national press for ‘misinterpreting' its tree-replacement programme, outsourced to Amey, after being attacked for plans to replace half of its street trees.

As part of the 25-year highways contract, which was signed in 2012, Amey will replace road-side trees where they are ‘over mature or diseased', replace street lights, maintain road drains, upgrade drainage systems and resurface roads and pavements.