Neighbours claim tree warnings were dismissed

The storm caused the tree to split in half and collapse, damaging several properties

Residents in Bulwell are "angry and upset" after a storm caused a large tree to collapse on their properties.

Lightning struck the tree during a storm on 21 September, causing the tree to split in half and fall on to bungalows in Sandhurst Road.

People whose homes were damaged said they had been calling for Nottingham City Council to maintain the safety of the tree "for years" but the council told the BBC there was "nothing they could have done".

Six properties were damaged by the tree, which smashed through a conservatory of one house and caused significant damage to others.

'Bag of nerves'

Part of the tree crashed through Linda Wilson's conservatory in Sandhurst Road.

She said: “I’m a bag of nerves and stressed out, it’s really scared me.

"I was sitting in my front room and I could see and hear the storm. The next minute I heard this almighty crash and then another bang. I just sat there frozen, I didn’t know what to do.”

The 72-year-old held back tears as she talked about the damage the tree had done to her conservatory, where she had spent time with her late husband.

“It’s ruined my conservatory. Me and my husband used to sit in there after he had that built for me, before he passed away three years ago.

"It’s wrecked and it's really upset me, even talking about it is upsetting.”

Nottingham City Council said the tree had been inspected by experts who found no cause for concern

Mrs Wilson expressed her frustration at Nottingham City Council, who she claimed to have warned about the tree several times before.

She said: “I don’t feel safe, there’s another tree close by which could do the same damage, if not worse.

"I just want the council to get their priorities right and sort this out because there’s a lot of elderly people here.”

The tree has since been removed and the affected areas have been cleaned.

Linda Hess also lives in Sandhurst Road and had to hide in her kitchen following the lightning strike.

"I was looking out of my living room window which looks directly on to the house opposite," she said.

"I saw the lightning bolt come down, followed by a terrible noise, so I ran and hid in my kitchen."

Ms Hess said she had also contacted Nottingham City Council about the tree before it fell.

"We just asked that the trees be cut back and kept to a reasonable size and [made] safer," she said.

Nottingham City Council said the tree had been inspected "a number of times by professionals" and "no concerns" were raised about its health or stability.

It added: "It’s believed that this tree was struck by lightning which caused it to fall.

"As this is classed as an ‘act of god’, there’s nothing we could have done beforehand to pre-empt this."