AN estate agent’s branch office has apologised after a part of an old giant vine was killed to put up a ‘To Let’ sign in Abingdon.

Contractors working for Carter Jonas cut through branches of the Bath Street virginia creeper when putting up the sign to advertise office space.

The agency could face punishment from the Vale of White Horse District Council as the plant is in a conservation area.

Bath Street resident Roger Arscott, 55, said the sign was put up about two weeks ago.

He said: “It is one of those beautiful buildings in Abingdon and as far as I am concerned, it is vandalism.

“You do not get a 50ft virginia creeper in ten minutes, but you can kill it off in ten minutes.

“It was a long-established vine — it could be decades old or it could be 100 years old for all I know.”

He added: “This is a building of outstanding beauty that has been vandalised for the sake of putting up a sign.

“I am absolutely shocked and appalled by what has happened. It is outrageous. I cannot believe people can go around cutting down things like that with impunity.”

Town councillor Julie Mayhew-Archer said: “It certainly seems a shame if something has made it look less attractive.”

Vale council spokesman Gavin Walton said about half the vine was now dead.

He said: “We have written to the estate agent asking for an explanation as to how the vine was severed.

“As the vine is in a conservation area we are looking into whether enforcement action is appropriate; however, we cannot comment any further at this stage.”

Nick Wilkinson, an associate at Carter Jonas, said: “Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding with one of our contractors, part of the virginia creeper has been damaged.

“This was not a deliberate act and we are extremely sorry that this has happened. We are in communication with the tree officer and the conservation officer at the Vale council and our client is making arrangements to remove the damaged section.”