RESIDENTS who were concerned about the cutting down of a large tree in Stanford-le-Hope today (Thursday, 3 August) have been assured it was a necessity for safety reasons.

The large tree on Runnymede Road was felled by a team of council workers, prompting questions from residents as to why.

The council has now confirmed that the tree was dead and was in danger of becoming unstable and was dangerous because of its location in a park where children play and close to homes and a residential road.

Several saplings had previously been planted in the adjacent copse of trees and it may be that more will be planted in the space where the tree was felled, once the debris has been cleared up tomorrow.