FEARS are growing that it is only a matter of time before ash dieback reaches the Forest of Dean.

As confirmed cases creep ever closer, specialists were telling a Government summit that trying to control the disease was an impossible task.

In the run-up to yesterday's crisis meeting with Environment Minister Owen Paterson, several experts said nothing could be done to stop the march of chalara fraxinea.

Yesterday Defra said it had reached six more counties, with Shropshire and Berkshire closest to the Dean.

But a map produced using pictures sent in on mobile phone app AshTag shows it could be as close as Worcestershire. It has now been confirmed in 15 nurseries, 39 planting sites and 61 woodlands.

See this week's Forester for full story