GARDAÍ are investigating a sinister chainsaw mystery in Macroom – with several healthy trees being cut down onto public roadways in the dead of night.

The first incident occurred at Carrigaphooca and Annahalla on August 20, with several trees cut down and left in the middle of the road.

Further incidents were reported in Clondrohid on Friday September 4 and Saturday September 5.

Gardaí are still trying to come up with an explanation as to why these healthy trees, which are mostly eight to ten inches in diameter, are being chopped down.

There have been no reported incidents since that date.

“It seems that these trees can be cut down quite quickly and it seems whoever is carrying this out may be operating an electric chainsaw so that the noise wouldn’t even be heard,” Sgt Ruairi Gunn told C103’s Cork Today last week.

“If people are noticing in their travels, probably early in the mornings, trees cut down they are being asked to contact Macroom Garda Station as gardaí believe that someone is doing this on purpose and they want to catch whoever it is.”

He added that with the darker mornings motorists could unexpectedly encounter a tree blocking a roadway which was a hazard that could lead to serious accidents.

“It’s one thing if there has been a storm and you are half-wary, but you are not expecting it on a random morning,” he said.

Sgt Gunn added that gardaí believe that there may have been other incidents of trees being cut which haven’t been reported to them.

Anyone who has witnessed anything suspicious is being asked to contact Macroom Garda Station on 026- 20590.