We were mystified last week by damage to the crab apple trees in our courtyard. Could it be fungus, insects, rabbits or what?
One answer came from neighbour Tony Woods who blamed ‘Antler Scrape’ which sounds like a rash you might get from dragging expensive luggage around airports (remember them?).
Damage this winter … 
… was on most trees 
Hopefully this will help
He pointed out small footprints which suggested Muntjac Deer. Tony explained the deer were hungry and coming to feed and mark their territory by scraping their antlers on the trunk.
In Claydon? We hadn’t any better explanation so protected them anyway.