'We could have been killed' Family faces £85k bill after council tree fell in garden

A DAD faces an £85,000 bill after he sued the council - and lost - over a “dying” tree which fell and destroyed his garden.

- George JONES

James Williams, 45, said he repeatedly told Bristol City Council the 30ft ash tree at Half Acre Lane allotments in Whitchurch needed to be felled.

But the dad-of-four said his pleas fell on deaf ears for 18 months.

The massive tree eventually came crashing down, smashing through the family’s newly completed swimming pool, a trampoline and a summer house.

The school caretaker claims his family would have been killed if they were inside the pool at the time.

His home insurance only covered £3,400 out of the £28,000 of damages to his garden in total, he said.

Mr Williams decided to pursue legal action but the court ultimately decided the council was “not liable” for the damages - because its decisions over the tree were “competent” and “appropriate”.

The Williams family are now more than £85,000 in debt - £8,000 quoted for garden repairs and £77,000 owed to the council in court costs.

Mr Williams said: “We could have been killed by it if we were outside. I still have nightmares about it.”

In May 2019, a representative from Bristol City Council visited the family home after Mr Williams's wife, Leanne, 43 reported that large branches from the tree were falling into their garden, he said.

“They came out, looked at it, and promised to cut the tree down,” Mr Williams claimed.