LAST week a mature oak tree, with a girth of over 17 feet, that stood for 400 years in Stream Road, Kingswinford was felled on the authority of the local council.

The Dudley arboricultural officer had reported that whilst carrying out proactive tree surveys concern was felt about the safety of the tree, mentioning various fungal growths.

I have lived alongside the tree for the past 36 years said that only once, about 30 years ago, had any major work been carried out on the tree.

I am not aware that any trees in the vicinity had recently been surveyed and the initial request from the tree inspector on the 22nd January had been "Who owns the tree?"

It had a preservation order on it and it was the responsibility of the council. Despite the written statement that it was a fine mature specimen, a scan using a recently purchased Picus Tomo-Graph' decay detection device, showed that the tree is not yet outside its own, self optimised safety factor' within 14 days it was felled.

I am an officer of the Kingswinford and District Historical Society, and am concerned about the Council's tree policy.

In 2005, a fine specimen of a chestnut tree at the Cross', Kingswinford had been felled over a weekend without any knowledge of the local residents. Tree pollarding last year in Bromley Lane and more recently in Brettle Lane left fine trees looking like blasted stumps, whilst ash trees and fir trees in the area were left to be a nuisance and danger, because they had had a preservation orders put upon them.

Ron Julian Kingswinford