ELIZABETH Bradburn has lived in the dark for three years.

Her Fearnhead home is cast in shadow 365 days a year by huge maple trees that line the next street.

Despite repeated pleas to Warrington Borough Council to prune the trees, they still stand tall, blocking all sunlight from her house.

“I don’t want them felling, I just want them pruned so I can get some light in my house,” said Elizabeth.

“They are a nuisance in every way, shape and form.”

She and her neighbours on Stonehaven Drive and residents of Crab Lane where the trees grow, have made repeated requests to have the trees cut down to size.

They say they were told there was no money left in the pot for the work, but in Fearnhead and in other parts of the town trees continue to be felled.

In Callands a newly planted parkland is having a number of fast-growing trees removed despite resistance from residents.

The Look of the Borough work undertaken in the area over the winter shaped and pruned many trees and bushes.

But it is not just the lack of light that is upsetting Elizabeth. Her gutters constantly need clearing, nothing will grow in her garden and her lawn is always strewn with leaves, she said.

She has offered to pay for the pruning work herself, but was told the council cannot allow outside contractors to do work on its land.

Since then she has contacted Helen Jones MP to see what help she can offer.

Alan Fitzpatrick, street scene manager at the council, said: “There are various land owners along the length of Crab Lane and I therefore cannot comment about individual trees and sites.

“However, my tree officer advises that no trees within the council’s ownership require priority works.

“Thinning of plantings would be undertaken as part of the council’s green initiative scheme which currently deploys four staff to deal with problems such as these.

“The team are currently working in the north west of the town.”

Resident Geoff Settle said he had previously met with Mr Fitzpatrick regarding another issue that was then solved, and urged him to meet with these residents.