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Trees for the chop after narrowly missing homes in Exning




Urgent work is to be carried out on a belt of trees after one crashed to the ground in Friday’s high winds narrowly missing homes on the opposite side of a busy road.

The trees tower above homes in Burwell Road, Exning, and have been a cause of concern to residents for some time. It was only luck that their worst fears were not realised when the mature ash tree fell into the only significant gap between the terraced houses which line the B1103 between Exning and Burwell.

As well as disrupting traffic, the tree damaged two parked cars and a fence and brought down overhead cables leaving a number of homes without telephone landlines or the internet until midday on Monday.

Close shave . . . Linda and Ian Butcher just after a mature ash tree crashed across the road close to their home.Picture: Tina Murray
Close shave . . . Linda and Ian Butcher just after a mature ash tree crashed across the road close to their home.Picture: Tina Murray

Linda and Ian Butcher live one door away from where the tree fell with an empty property in between.

Mrs Butcher said they had heard there were plans for work to be carried out on the trees. “I don’t think they have had any attention for many years and they are so tall it’s going to be a big job to tackle,” she said.

“It felt a bit surreal on Friday night up in our attic room with the wind still blowing. You think about that tree coming down and it makes you wonder a bit about what might happen”.

The tree missed terraced homes by inches landing in David and Margaret Beard’s garden. Picture: Tina Murray
The tree missed terraced homes by inches landing in David and Margaret Beard’s garden. Picture: Tina Murray

David and Margaret Beard were not at home when the tree landed in their garden but their daughter Beccy was working from home.

“We have lived here for eight years and have always worried about the trees. We contacted the council in June or July and put a note through the door of the landowner with no response,” said Mrs Beard. “We thought someone might have knocked at our door to say they were sorry that their tree fell into our property but that didn’t happen either.”

The trees mark the boundary of Orchard Farm, home to HW Dressage Ltd which is owned by Harriette Williams, an international dressage rider who set up her business in Exning a couple of years ago.

Caroline Williams confirmed that a professional inspection had recently been carried out on the wooded area and work would start as soon as possible. She said this could include reducing the height of the trees, removing branches and felling if necessary.

“We want the area to be both environmentally friendly and safe,” she said.

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