HELP - Save the Laurel!

Can anyone figure out what is wrong with the laurel bush in my garden? It was fine until last year, then something started eating it [and wouldn't stop, no matter how often I sprayed!]. The leaves are now either thin and yellowing, or thick, malformed and black at the edges.

I have now tried cutting it right back, but the new shoots seam to have the same problem.

All help gratefully received!

 

My RHS Pests & Diseases suggests this is 'bay sucker'. It says leaves at the shoot tips become yellow, with thickened, down-curled margins. Later, the damaged areas dry up and turn brown. Fluffy, white sucker nymphs may be seen on the lower leaf surface.
However, it goes on to say: deal with light infestations by picking off affected leaves. None of the insecticides currently available is likely to give good control.
Hope this helps with identification but unfortunately not with eradication. Will keep researching any effective methods.

 

AYA CHUCK, I HAD EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY LAUREL LAST YEAR AND PICKED ALL THE AFFECTED LEVES OF AND IT WORKED A TREAT! THIS YEAR IM KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH ON IT!!!

 

Is there any possibility that ants could be doing this? I have noticed an improvement since I cut it back and also have been giving it some serious doses of phosphate-based feed, but the thing was covered in black ants yesterday, which leads me to think that they might be a part of the problem.

 

Usually if you have ants on something they are there controlling/farming/moving the aphids around, this could explain the malformed leaves

if this is the case a simple aphid spray will get rid