Families escape danger as storm blows massive tree down inches away from Milton Keynes homes

A 70ft tall tree was blown down inches away from homes by freak winds during the thunderstorm yesterday (Monday) afternoon.

The tree is one of several lining Newton Road in Bletchley and residents say they have been warning Milton Keynes City Council for years that they are a danger.

“We have lived in Newton Road for 13 years and residents have been asking since that time at least,” said one householder.

"The trees run from the bridge in Newton Road up to the first row of houses there.. I live on the opposite side of the road to the trees and, due to their height of 60 to 70 feet, if they were to come down would cause significant damage to houses.”

Luckily the tree that came crashing down yesterday was opposite the turning into Beechcroft Road, so it fell into the road rather than onto houses.

if the turning had not been there, it would have fell directly onto a house, say residents.

To make matters even more dangerous, the east west railway line runs immediately behind the trees.

"One would have thought that these trees would have to go as we all know leaves on the track causes delays,” said the resident.

"I have previously contacted the council about them but nothing has been done,” she added.

Yesterday’s incident resulted in the road being closed for some time while the tree was cleared.

Residents over the years have asked for the trees to be pollarded rather than felled completely.

Pollarding is a type of pruning that keeps trees smaller than they would naturally grow. It is normally started once a tree or shrub reaches a certain height, and regular pollarding will restrict the tree from growing too high.

A council spokesman said this week: “We regularly survey trees to make sure they’re healthy (as a healthy tree has a very low risk of falling) and do remove trees that pose a risk. Following the storm we’ll be surveying these trees again.

Last year there was a panic in Bletchley when a tree blew down onto a council bungalow in Ouzel Close during Storm Eunice. The roof to the property was severely damaged and an emergency rear access was blocked.