Neighbours' fears as 100ft tree crashes into Wolverhampton house
Residents have been left "frightened to death" after a 100ft tree came crashing down during Storm Ciara.
Neighbours Sneheep Singh and Kenneth Clibery, who live on Mount Road in Lanesfield, were left shocked when the tree came down two weeks ago.
It crashed down on the side of Mr Singh's house, with concerns now being raised about the condition of other nearby trees which have been buffeted by two storms in two weeks.
Mr Clibery said: "It's at least 100ft tall and it's sister or brother, exactly the same size, has been blowing all over the place.
"I've got all the letters relating to three years ago from when Wolverhampton Council was called out.
"Three years ago I had them all down and they said it was to do with the new owner.
"They all said it's to do with the owner and I've been saying 'you have a duty' to the people who live by the trees which could kill someone.
"The trees are still there and there's a danger of it falling."
The 79-year-old, a former magistrate at Wolverhampton, said he has been forced to club together with his neighbours to have it cut down.
"I can't make the owner trim it down, but the council is in a position to do that," he said.
"I said before the tree would come down and I've been proved right.
"Now he has clubbed together with his other neighbours to get the tree chopped down.
"The tree has nearly killed that family and I'm saying 'please come down' and tell them.
"We've been frightened to death over the weekend. We're having to pay someone on Thursday for that, it's dangerous.
"He was frightened to death because of tree falling."
A spokeswoman for Wolverhampton Council said: "The council maintains thousands of trees across the city on council-owned land.
"In this case, the standing duty of care rests with the land owner, not the council.
"The council does, in certain circumstances, have limited powers to require works, however this is only when a tree is identifiably and imminently dangerous, and does not stretch to the maintenance of trees.
"In the first instance, the concerned resident should bring their concerns to the tree owner, rather than the council."
