A barrage of complaints by residents in a Benfleet street have forced Castle Point Council to postpone a tree felling programme.
People living in Arcadian Gardens were furious when tree surgeons began cutting back birch trees on Monday morning.
When approached by the residents, the tree surgeons claimed that they had been asked to carry out the work by the borough council.
One resident, who did not want to be named, said: "I am very angry about this, the surgeons seemed to be cutting the trees quite aggressively.
"I'm glad the work has been stopped."
Chris Moran, Castle Point's leisure services manager, said there were around 20 mature birch trees in the street and it was preferable to prune them early in the year because the sap begins to rise in February.
When the trees are cut, sap near the surface leaks and the appearance can be fairly unpleasant, he added.
Mr Moran said: "Residents were upset by the wounds in the trees which are quite unsightly but will heal.
"We had to reduce the height of the trees because they were interfering with electricity lines and the Electricity Board had complained."
Mr Moran said following the complaints the work had been stopped but added it would to continue in the autumn.
Published Wednesday, April 9, 2003
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