Problems with laurel bush
Evening all. We moved into our house last Novermber and the cherry laurel shrub was taller than the telephone wires and like a jungle. It did also appear to have died at the top. 2 metres of the stalks were blackened (looked like they had been burnt).
We cut it all down to about 2' x 4' wide, and this spring it started to grow back with lovely new shiny new shoots.
Now I have noticed some most of the top leaves either have holes or have been totally striped back to the branch. I also found these weird octopus like suckers on some of the new branches. (forgot to mention I found some of these last Nov). I've popped some photos on. I know some are of leaf miners and I have found one large caterpillar munching away, but I am wondering if the shrub actually has a disease/fungus? Any help would be great.

Thanks for looking.
