A BAFFLED Central line commuter is angry that conifer trees are being allowed to die just a year after being planted.

Clifford Malcom, who uses the line to commute from his home in Buckhurst Hill to central London every day, says the 400-yard stretch of conifer trees is dying off and says it is the second time this has happened in the last two years.

He has now questioned the authority of Metronet the company which owns the part of track in question and which planted the trees on the track between Leyton and Leytonstone Underground stations last year, and feels the trees are being neglected.

He said: "I am no expert horticulturist, but the soil must be wrong if the trees are not getting enough water.

"They are dying and in this hot weather they will be dead within a couple of weeks if nothing is done about it.

"Two or three years ago this very same thing happened. Trees were planted and they died soon afterwards. I just wonder where the money to pay for these trees comes from as if they are not being cared for it seems a waste to plant them in the first place."

A spokesman for Metronet, the company responsible for tube maintenance, said the wall behind the trees does not belong to the company, and as the wall is covered in graffiti, Metronet decided to plant the trees to cover up the eye-sore. She said: "Out of our own pocket we have paid for these trees to be planted. Conifers are usually robust trees but, as the soil in that area is not of a very high quality, unfortunately some of the trees are struggling.

"We will now be looking into the matter further."