Some have called on the council to remove them because of health and safety concerns but others are angry that the very features that make The Avenue a special place have been felled.


The first Ian Coles knew about the tree close to his home being cut down was when workmen woke him early on Wednesday morning to ask him to move his car.
The tree – a London plane – was not on his land but he says that its beauty and its contribution to the over-all look of the street was one of the reasons that he bought his home.


He said: "I am really upset. The workmen said that the tree had to come down because it was interfering with the traffic. If an overhanging branch were to damage a double-decker or injure someone then they would cop for it. But why not just prune it back?
"I have a high-sided vehicle which I park outside the house and the tree doesn't interfere with it at all.
"The Avenue is famous round here for its line of trees. There is another one being taken down just along the street and I have spoken to several residents and they are furious about it. We had no warning about this. If I'd not been asked to move my car I would only have found out afterwards."


But a council spokesman said: "There are many reasons for taking the trees down, most importantly health and safety.
"The roots were causing damage to the pavements and were also causing alleged damage to a property.
"The tree to which Mr Coles refers was 50ft high and inappropriate for the street. The tree is not outside his house but the home next door, a complaint was made about the tree and a safety audit was held.
"Other trees have been removed from the roadside of The Avenue in the past to be replaced with other ones and that will happen in this case too."