Help! Apple tree bark missing

[jampots]

Ds had a friend round yesterday and the little swine used a brick to strip about a 2 foot x 8inch of bark from my apple tree. I saw his friend trying to hack at the tree and told him to stop but only this morning have I seen te extent of the damage

Will this kill hte tree or can I put something on it to seal the trunk?

It shouldn't kill the tree but it doesmean it's more likely to get diseased..I wonder if there is a tar oil type mix you can repair it with?

has it gone all the way round the trunk..it's the layer under the bark which carries the water and nutrients so if bark is removed badly all the way round the trunk then the tree will probably die

ive got to go riding now but when i get back i'll take a piccie and post it if that might help diagnose

Am furious

The current advice is not to seal any damage - it used to be bitumen paint (or something like that!) that was used to seal sawn branches etc but it tends to seal diseases in - the tree wil seal itself if left, unless as Zippi says it has been girdled.
Bl**dy kids.. who'd have em, eh? Eh???

I hope you screamed at him