LOCALS say they fear an "excessively tall" tree will soon fall and crush their homes - but the council has refused to take action. Scared residents on Worcester's Columbia Drive worry that the "menace" 100ft silver birch tree blocks sunlight, casting a gloomy shadow over their properties.
![[Locals in Worcester say a silver birch tree is a safety hazard to residents]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/columbia-drive-worcester-says-silver-958057779.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
They added that branches regularly rain down during extreme weather conditions, and have demanded the council take immediate action. But Worcester City Council have refused - claiming that the tree poses no immediate risk and has issued a protection order for it.
![[They fear that the tree could fall and damage homes and cars]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/columbia-drive-worcester-says-silver-958057178_dd0995.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
"It's getting excessively tall and branches are regularly coming down in winds, which could land on our cars below," one homeowner argued. "The roots are lifting up the ground in front of the house, we asked permission to fell the tree and replace it with a smaller one but the council said no.".
![[Local Chris Davis argues the trees should be cut back 'by a third']](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/chris-davis-lives-reginal-cl-958057066.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Other locals claimed that several other trees pose the same risk, and that's it only a matter of time before they cause serious damage to homes. Resident Chris Davis said: "The trees are way too high now. They were planted 20 years ago and they looked really nice.
![[The birch trees on Columbia Drive have a preservation order and cannot be felled]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/trees-columbia-drive-worcester-preservation-958057712.jpg?strip=all&w=640)
"They are now growing in people's gardens and have taken over the place and there is a real danger of them falling over in the wind. "They need to be cut back by about a third. One of these days there will be a storm and these trees will definitely crash down onto someone's home.
