My neighbour has strange bugs attached to the bark of his bay tree. It
is like a collection of flat 'molluscs' attached to the bark with a
woolley silky thread like substance. Looks like a collection of tiny
wooly mushrooms with hard shells about 3-4mm diameter.

I would send a photo but I do not know how to post it to the gruop via
google.

Any ideas what they are and how to get rid?