Mum tells of lucky escape as branch falls

1:26pm Saturday 10th May 2008

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A FALLING branch has narrowly missed a woman, a year after Thurrock Council allegedly refused to cut back the tree from which it fell and threatened to prosecute anyone who pruned it themselves.

Mrs Wendi Griffin, 37, of Whitmore Avenue, Stifford Clays, was returning from shopping in her car when the branch fell.

She was taking her six-month-old baby from the seat of the car and looking after her five-year-old boy as she heard the tree creak behind her.

As she turned, a branch the size of her oldest child fell and landed within two metres of where she stood.

Her husband, Barry, along with neighbour Norman Brecht, say they had contacted the Council one year ago regarding the state of the tree, which is the size of both their houses put together.

Mr Griffin said: "I was concerned that the tree looked fragile, so I contacted Thurrock Council Environmental Department to do something about it.

"They inspected, and I was told that there was no problem and that nothing was to be done about it. My neighhour offered to prune the tree himself, but was told that it was not his tree to touch and he would be prosecuted if he did."

Since the branch fell, the tree has been significantly pruned by the council.

Once informed by Mr Griffin of the situation, a team were on the scene within 45 minutes of the call.

They have now cut back the tree so that there is no risk of further branches falling.

Mr Griffin said: "It's all very well that they have been quick this time, but had my wife returned home two seconds later, it would have been a different story. This should have been dealt with last year."