The scenes at Pondtail Wood are genuinely shocking. A devastating clearance of woodland has taken place in the South Downs National Park without permission.

Many commentators have likened the pictures to scenes of logging in the Amazon and while we must be careful of over exaggeration it is not excessive to say that the woodland in our national park is a vital green lung for us.

The park was created so that protection could be given to this wondrous landscape in the overcrowded south.

But what has happened at Pondtail would suggest something has gone badly wrong with that protection.

Concerns were first raised about the felling of these trees in March and yet a temporary stop notice was only issued recently. How many trees have been lost in the interim?

The Argus has attempted to contact landowner James Hyatt several times for comment but has been unsuccessful.

One thing is for sure. He must not be allowed to get away with what he has done.

One of the big questions here is how much power the national park authority really has and how strong are its enforcement powers. Another is that three bodies, the national park, the Forestry Commission and the Environment Agency all have some jurisdiction here. That surely is a recipe for confusion and non-action.