Neglected Middlesbrough trees pose injury risk, councillor fears

Stefan Walker said tree damage caused by Storm Arwen highlighted the need for improved maintenance

Neglected trees in Middlesbrough could cause injuries if left to overgrow, a councillor has warned.

Stefan Walker, who represents Coulby Newham on Middlesbrough Council, said Storm Arwen damage showed the council was "playing roulette with nature".

He said some trees had not been cut back for about 12 years.

Middlesbrough mayor Andy Preston admitted the "problem has built up" but "now we need to face the music and spend some money and sort it out".

Mr Walker said: "That lack of maintenance is really causing issues.

'Playing roulette'

"We have seen that with the storm we have just had and we are going to have more storms and every winter it is going to be windier and wetter but it's everywhere."

He said last weekend "thankfully" no-one was hurt in Middlesbrough but added "I don't think that's always going to be the case - you're playing roulette with nature".

"You are basically just letting a bad situation potentially happen," he added.

He also said he had spoken to several residents concerned about trees, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Mr Preston acknowledged budgets had been cut with, he "suspects", tree maintenance one of the "easy things to leave a bit longer".

He said: "I think this problem has built up and built up over a number of years and now we need to face the music and spend some money and sort it out."