A KNIGHT of the realm has likened the destruction of a number of trees on his country estate to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
And Sir Benjamin Slade has put up ‘Wanted’ posters offering a £1,000 Wild West-style reward to catch the culprits – dead or alive.
He blames a pair of beavers for gnawing away at some of the hundreds of trees in the grounds of Woodlands Castle, his exclusive venue at Ruishton, which he rents out for private functions and weddings.
Their hunger for wood has led to five trees, some of them with preservation orders, crashing to the ground.
“We’ve tried to catch the beavers with nets and things, but they keep darting off under the water,” said multi-millionaire Sir Benjamin, who also owns Maunsel House, at North Newton, and 12 houses.
“They tend to come out at dusk, so it’s not very easy running around after them.
“I’ve threatened to shoot them. They’re vermin who eat the trees and strip the bark.
"They’ve already brought down five trees and the way they’re going I won’t have any trees left.
"They’ve got huge teeth. It’s like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
One recent wedding party was unable to use the lawn at Woodlands after one of the beavers brought down a tree smack bang in the middle.
If Sir Benjamin does turn to taking pot-shots at the beavers, he would not be breaking the law.
He even briefly contemplated serving their meat to customers.
Sir Benjamin Slade.
“Apparently it tastes a bit like venison, although I’ve never tried it myself and I’m not sure my guests would like it,” he said.
“I’ve thought about renaming Woodlands Castle Beaver Castle, although people might confuse it with the castle of the same name, although the original Belvoir Castle (in Leicestershire) is spelt differently.”
Sir Benjamin has called in the Devon Wildlife Trust, whose Steve Hussey said he hopes a solution can be found without resorting to culling the beavers.
Mr Hussey said: “It is true beavers will cut down some trees, but they’re not going to fell forests or woodlands.
“You can take very easy protective measures to stop beavers felling trees.”
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