ORANGE “teletubby” mounds that sparked a graffiti protest when they appeared over the roots of trees in Belsize Park are to be removed because they are the wrong colour.

Shopkeepers and residents returning from the Bank Holiday weekend were shocked to discover the roots of around 15 trees in Haverstock Hill had been covered with tangerine paving.

It prompted a rebellion from a mystery graffiti artist who sprayed slogans reading “you put tarmac on my roots” and “why this?” over the mounds which are made of a special “flexi-pave” porous material.

The mounds will now have to be removed because the contractor that installed them used the wrong colour, council chiefs admitted last night (Wednesday).

Environment chief Phil Jones said: “It clearly looks awful. It was a mistake by the contractor and as soon as this was brought to the council’s attention we took action. It will be changed and there will be a colour more in tune with the local area.” 

Belsize ward councillor Claire-Louise Leyland, the leader of the Conservatives in Camden, said: “Towards the end of last week, they were suddenly there like some bizarre Teletubbyland. 

“The contractor used the wrong colour. It was supposed to be sand-coloured, but this is tatty. They promised me it will be removed as soon as possible, which gives us time to get some good input from urban planning – it’s a streetscape that needs to be talked about properly.”

In Haverstock Hill yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon shoppers and local businesses were bemused at the hill’s colourful new additions. David Lawrence, of South End Green, described the mounds as “the most unfortunate candy-coloured trip hazards”, adding: “I feel the council should have apologised for the unfortunate choice of hue and understand the trees would flourish no matter what colour they used, but perhaps the local community will not flourish with this extraordinary shade of orange.”

But Barbara Brown, from nearby Master Cleaners, said: “I noticed the orange today, they look very nice, neat and colourful. We were nicely surprised. The only concern is if it porous material that will allow the trees to get moisture.”

There was also confusion over whether the orange mounds were part of a community-led proposal for installing planters and benches around the trees. 

Gavin Marshall, of Belsize Park, said: “I was looking forward to the bench-thing, but maybe they are still going to do it and this is part of it.”

Cllr Leyland said the options proposed by the community was not chosen because fences around the plots would not have been good for the trees.