Six police officers and 13 security guards stood guard yesterday as three trees in the centre of Oxford were felled ahead of redevelopment work.

But the operation to remove London Plane trees in Norfolk Street alongside the Westgate car park passed off peacefully, with no sign of protesters.

When work at the site began last month, county councillor Deborah Glass Woodin was arrested by police on suspicion of aggravated trespass during a protest.

Thames Valley Police refused to say how much it had cost to have six officers guarding the area.

Miriam Hadcocks, who supported Bruce Heagerty's sit-in protest in one of the trees last month, said: "I think the developers have pulled a fast one here.

"People who have protested against the tree felling have jobs and unfortunately can't be there to keep a 24-hour watch on the developers."

Ms Hadcocks, 34, of Cowley Road added: "We will be keeping a closer eye on the remaining trees from now on. This isn't a victory for the developers."

Fellow campaigner Jess Worth, 33, of Iffley Road, said: "The people I've spoken to are shocked and outraged by this. We would have thought they would have learned from last time that it isn't acceptable to go ahead and cut down these trees."

Green Party city councillor Nuala Young said: "I'm horrified. It was a surprise to everyone that they were cut down. It's really disappointing. We should be working with our natural resources not cutting them down."

A police spokesman said: "We were there to facilitate the lawful activity of cutting the trees down.

"In view of the difficulties that we encountered at Bonn Square, we were there to make sure the process ran smoothly."

It is believed up to 45 trees could be felled as part of the expansion of the Westgate Shopping Centre.

The centre's owner, Capital Shopping Centres, declined to comment yesterday.