TREE felling at a school in Wharton has raised the hackles of nearby residents who are angry about a lack of consultation.

John and Jean Kirk have lived in Nunhouse Drive next to Willow Wood Junior School since the school started up in the mid 1960s and sent both of their children to the school around the same time.

But the couple are furious about a Cheshire County Council decision to chop down two huge willow trees outside the nursery and infant buildings at the school.

However, the council has defended the decision to fell the trees - which were located next to a play area - for safety reasons.

John said: "It's a shame that the local people weren't notified that they were going to take them down.

"They were a natural habitat for bird-life, and we had rooks, crows and magpies nesting there.

"And the children at the school could take shade there - during the sports day they could sit down and get shelter. They even had lessons on hot days underneath the branches."

Jean added: "It is called Willow Wood after all, what are they going to call it now - Willow-less Wood?"

A spokesman for Cheshire County Council said: "We had the trees checked by a consultant and we also carried out our own survey, with the conclusion that the trees were becoming dangerous.

"There were cavities in the main limbs, rotten wood and split branches.

"When the headteacher is back at school we will ask about what the school would like to do in terms of replacing the trees."

rfraser@guardiangrp.co.uk