Residents of Ilissia, near central Athens, have blocked plans for the construction of a car park on the site of a local park after several trees were found to have been poisoned.

The country’s highest administrative court, the Council of State, issued a temporary ruling blocking the planned construction of the car park following the discovery by residents of bags containing a strong chemical that had been placed at the foot of the trees on November 28. Some of the trees had withered leaves.

Laboratory tests on the liquid in the bags showed that it was a strong chemical “capable of harming the trees” but did not determine what it was exactly.

The technique of using chemicals to “poison” trees is one used by would-be developers in the countryside – as well as arson – but is not known to have been used in cities.

The residents, who discovered more poison next to trees on December 18 and 28, have taken legal action, calling for the perpetrators to be caught.