Sway mum Lizzie Williams fears huge dead pine tree could kill her children if it falls and claims Network Rail has failed to cut it down despite pleas

A mum fears her children could be killed by a dead tree which she says Network Rail has failed to cut down.

Lizzie Williams has contacted the company repeatedly since June 2024 asking for it to be removed.

But she says despite several visits by tree surgeons and other experts, nothing has been done to remove the pine tree which stands on Network Rail’s land at the bottom of her garden.

Lizzie, who lives in Cruse Close, Sway, said: “I am terrified to let my children, aged four and two, play in the garden, especially if it is windy, or rainy.

“One arborist told me. ‘I wouldn’t stand under that on a windy day’.

“If it fell on the railway line when a train was passing it could cause a huge catastrophe - it needs taking down now.”

Lizzie says her neighbours are also worried about the tree because they regularly look after their young grandson.

She said: “They have also been in touch with Network Rail, and they told me that the lady who owned my house before we bought it had also complained repeatedly.”

Network Rail has agreed the enormous pine needs to come down, Lizzie said, but is struggling to get “possession” of the rail line it stands beside.

She said: “They need to have it shut it down while the work to get rid of the tree takes place.

“But then they told me they couldn’t complete the job in the time the railway had been shut down for, and no one has been back since.”

Lizzie said she has “reminded” Network Rail about the Occupiers Liability Acts 1957 and 1984, which states that landowners owe a duty of care to see that those reasonably expected to be affected by the condition of its land are not exposed to “foreseeable risk of injury, or damage”.

She said the dead tree falls under these acts as it is “an obvious hazard”.

A spokesperson for Network Rail said: “We understand that people might be concerned but we want to reassure people that this tree does not pose a risk to any of our lineside neighbours.

“Our team attended the site on 6th October and confirmed that the limb of the tree that has dropped has now been secured back to the main trunk.

“However, we are currently seeking access to the railway to remove the tree altogether using specialist equipment, which needs to be planned to coincide with a scheduled closure of the railway.

“Because this tree isn’t easy to remove it isn’t something we can do easily overnight, and we have to plan it well in advance. We will confirm at a later date when this work can take place.”