CHAIRWOMAN of the organisation managing Wales' natural resources has quit following a scandal around timber being sold without going out to tender.

A Wales Audit Office (WAO) report into Natural Resources Wales (NRW) released this week found timer grown on public woodland had not been offered for sale on the open market - for the second time.

AMs reacted furiously to the report and now it has been announced the organisation's chairwoman Diane McCrea has resigned.

In a statement this afternoon the Welsh Government's energy, planning and rural affairs secretary Lesley Griffiths said: "I have today accepted the resignation of the chair of NRW.

"This is an appropriate response in the light of the recent WAO report which qualifies the accounts for the third time, and the concerns and criticisms from all parties in the Assembly.

"I have written to thank Diane McCrea for her service."

She added an interim chair would be appointed while a permanent replacement is recruited.

"I regularly meet committed and professional people who work for NRW, building flood defences, protecting rare species, improving the quality of our rivers or regulating our major industries," she said. "They work tirelessly to protect and enhance Wales’ precious natural environment.

"The chief executive is taking the WAO’s concerns seriously, which is recognised in the report, and implementing the changes necessary to have a delivery organisation with strong governance.

"To help with this, a senior member of Welsh Government staff will be seconded to NRW. This will allow NRW to continue to build its important role in protecting and enhancing the environment in Wales."