Couple's fear over tree stump

JUST weeks ago a giant tree crashed through their garden fence, narrowly missing motorists on a nearby road.

After it fell, experts deemed the 30ft diseased oak too dangerous to leave as it was and cut it down to a four-metre tall leafless stump.

But Nicky and Keith Smith are frightened that it could fall again as they have been told it must stay in their garden as it is still under a tree preservation order (TPO) which has been in place since 1974.

The order means the couple from Canterbury Avenue, Sholing, must ask permission from Southampton City Council before any work is carried out on the 200-year-old tree, despite it having bracket fungi, which can decay and weaken trees from the inside.

Nicky, 46, a driver and mum-of-three, said: Im worried that the rest of it will come down and hurt someone as behind my fence is a road and a pavement.

I think its ridiculous. I assumed they were going to take the rest down to just a small stump but they have left the damaged part of the tree and a big chunk above.

They said thats what they count as safe because there are no leaves on it so it wont catch in the wind but it was a beautiful day when it fell so you cant say that its not going to happen again.

I want them to reduce the bill and take the preservation order off so we can get rid of it properly.

The couple were charged 2,617 for the workers to come out and clear the leaves and smaller branches, which they say is too much.

The council said the tree preservation order is still in place because the remaining pollard a tree with all its leaves and dead branches removed is still alive.

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Couple's fear over tree stump