Family of ducks halt controversial tree felling

The mother duck flew away when she was startled by workmen but later returned to collect her ducklings and work to fell the tree continued

Fran Strachan

Thames Ditton ducks

A family of ducks attempted to thwart the councils removal of a 200-year-old cedar tree in Thames Ditton this week.

After a battle over whether to cut down the tree, with some residents wanting it to stay and others agreeing with Surrey County Council that it was a health and safety hazard, work on the tree on the corner of Queens Drive and Kings Drive began on Monday (June 9).

But the next day, after the lower branches were removed, a family of ducks was found in the tree and work had to stop.

Fran Strachan, a resident of Queens Drive, said: Some people think it is a danger but it is a beautiful tree.

She said that the person whose house it was directly outside was worried about it falling on their home, especially after some branches fell in recent storms.

A county council spokesman said: This is a huge mature cedar tree and we have been trying to prolong its life over the years with the help of bolts, cables and braces. Unfortunately, earlier this year a large heavy limb fell from the tree, not injuring anybody but requiring us to take action. We looked into a number of possibilities but the only way to guarantee safety was to fell the tree.

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Family of ducks halt controversial tree felling