A widow has appealed for help from Basildon Council to cut down a tree that is effectively pulling her house down.

Look at this - Dorrit Sellwood asks Nigel Smith to lend a hand and hold up the wall of her home Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY 2VMGY6

The 150-year-old tree is tearing apart Dorrit Sellwood's home in Falstones, Basildon. It is growing on Basildon Council land just outside her garden. But in a year the council has still not cut it down.

Mrs Sellwood, 79, said: "The ground-floor toilet at the back is falling over and it is taking the kitchen wall with it. The whole patio is gone, the garage is all cracked and the shelves are falling down. I don't know what more I can do. It is very worrying."

Nigel Smith, the Labour councillor for Lee Chapel North, has been trying to help.

He said: "I love trees, but this one is in the wrong place. For six months the council said it wasn't its tree. We finally managed to prove it in November but the council has done nothing since then."

A spokesman for Basildon Council said: "The delay was caused by problems establishing ownership. The current issue is being negotiated between the lady's insurers and our loss adjustor."

Published Thursday July 15, 2004

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