A MAJOR building firm has come under fire from residents after 'butchering' a row of conifers in Timperley.

Residents are furious Redrow Homes took saws to the long row of leylandii near Brooks Drive - pruning the tall conifers back to just eight feet high.

They halted the work when Manchester City Council intervened and sent out an arboriculturist. But the pruning work has only been suspended and will continue after the bird nesting season.

Householders on Kentmere Road - which the trees border - say their privacy has been ruined and an attractive row of trees 'butchered'.

Heather Houghton told SAM: "What they have done is awful - they didn't consult anyone. We bought this house because it was so private and quiet, but now we will be overlooked.

"Redrow tell me leylandii are are not trees, they are weeds and they are going to cut them down in four weeks when the bird nesting season is over. I think it is terrible. Of course they are trees."

Another resident adds: "We are very angry about this - they are destroying beautiful scenery."

Last month SAM revealed that Redrow Homes had cut down a protected tree next to historic Brooks Drive.

A spokesman for Manchester City Council says: "Our arboriculturist has gone down there. If any trees are pruned in future it will be done with our agreement."

A spokesman for Redrow says: "The leylandii conifer at Timperley is a hedging plant and can grow to heights of 60 to 70 feet, causing great nuisance to those around it.

"The leylandii conifer is not indigenous to this country and we have not breached any planning regulations or broken any tree preservation orders. By maintaining the tree to a reasonable height, we are complying with Environment Agency requirements to provide access for maintenance to the nearby brook.

"Work on pruning the hedge has been temporarily halted at the arboriculturist's recommendation until the bird nesting season has finished."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.