Midler faces fine after destroying trees

Bette Midler will be hit with a fine after she cut down more than 230 trees close to her home on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

Midler may have to pay up to $6,500 (€4,400) in fines on the orders of the state's Board of Land and Natural Resources for having the trees felled.

She also stands accused of building a graded road without permits required on the land zoned for conservation use.

Midler's attorney Max W. J. Graham says the star didn't realise permits were needed to remove the trees on the vacant land, but confirmed she will pay the fines and follow a replanting programme.

He says: "The whole idea with cutting the trees down was with the idea of improving the lot with native species. It's unfortunate that a mistake was made."