Homeowners could be fined £20k for cutting garden trees
As more Brits dust off the tools and tidy up their gardens this spring, experts say thousands may unknowingly be breaking the law simply by cutting back or removing trees in their own backyard.
According to home experts at My Home Improvements, many people don't realise that trees in residential gardens may be protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs).
It means that if you cut down, lop, damage, or destroy a protected tree without permission, it could result in criminal prosecution and a fine of up to £20,000 in a magistrates' court.
Mr Fielding, 51, didn't realise that certain trees – even if its in your garden – can be protected.
'It was blocking the light in the conservatory and leaning over the fence,' he explained.
'So I gave it a proper cut.'
But soon after he received a letter from the local council telling him the tree was protected and that he may have breached the order by cutting back too much.
'I didn't even know such a thing existed. I thought trees in your own garden were your responsibility,' Mr Fielding continued.
'I was shocked to learn I could be fined thousands.'
A Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is a legal protection issued by your local council to prevent important trees from being cut, pruned, damaged or removed without consent.
These orders apply to trees that have environmental, historical or aesthetic value and yes, even if they're on your private property.
Failing to get approval before carrying out work on a protected tree is a criminal offence.
'The trouble is, most homeowners have no idea their tree is protected,' says Sophie Willoughby, a gardening expert who was contacted by My Home Improvements.
'It's easy to think you're just doing routine garden work, but one snip too many and you could face a hefty fine,' Sophie explains.
'Councils take it very seriously and so they should, because mature trees are crucial for wildlife and air quality.'
To help homeowners avoid legal trouble this gardening season, My Home Improvements has shared some simple but important advice to keep things safe and legal in your garden.
Recommended reading:
Can you paint over algae on a fence? How to remove it
Dog owners warned of fatal plants that could endanger pets
Common garden tasks that could lead to hefty £26k fines
A spokesperson from My Home Improvements, added: 'Before you pick up the saw or shears, take a moment to check your tree isn't protected.
"Councils don't issue TPOs lightly and breaching one can land you in legal trouble.
'Whether you're trimming, pruning or removing, always ask first, as it's a simple step that could save you £20,000 and a trip to court.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Major update in Brazil plane crash as ‘pilot reported malfunction' the day before tragedy, ex-employee reveals a year on
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MAJOR update has been revealed in last year's Brazil plane crash, with the pilot said to have reported a malfunction a day before the tragedy. It comes almost a year of the aircraft spiralled down to the ground and exploded in a huge fireball - tragically killing all 62 people on board. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 The plane was seen in a 'death spiral' as it plummeted towards the ground - killing all 62 on board Credit: GLOBO NEWS/UNPIXS 8 Wreckage from a plane that crashed by a home in Vinhedo, Sao Paulo state, Brazil, last August Credit: AP A former employee said they witnessed the final maintenance of the ATR 72-500 before it took off for Cascavel on August 9, 2024. He told g1 the pilot who operated the plane the night prior to the crash reported to the maintenance team that he had experienced problems with the aircraft's de-icing system. The failure was allegedly omitted from the technical logbook and ignored by management - when it reportedly should have prevented the plane from taking off. The ex-employee said how staff were pressured by company management to avoid aircraft downtime for maintenance, adding that there was also little time to assess the condition of aircraft. He told g1: "The leader himself asked: 'Well, if he didn't report it in the log, there's no problem with the aircraft.' "That was the company's legacy: if the captain reports it, there's maintenance action; if he doesn't report it, they won't waste time with anything he says." The Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Center suggested in the preliminary report that the plane's blackbox captured a conversation between the pilots in which they mentioned a failure in the de-icing system. De-icing systems are crucial in aviation as ice can negatively affect aerodynamic performance - potentially increasing the aircraft's weight and impairing its speed and lift. The former employee believes that had this problem been reported to the logbook, the tragic crash would have been avoided. The Voepass Airlines plane was previously labelled an "old wreck" and was only in service for weeks before the deadly plunge. Horrified Brits watch as TUI plane tyre EXPLODES during take-off in Corfu Passengers and their families complained about the aircraft just 24 hours before it spiralled down to the ground and exploded in a huge fireball last week. The plane smashed into a residential area of the city of Vinhedo, with neighbours filming it dropping and crashing. The Voepass flight had left Cascavel, in the Parana state, and was bound for Guarulhos, in Sao Paulo. Valinhos City Hall later confirmed all on board were dead and that no residents on the ground were injured or killed. One grieving mother said that Friday's crash "wasn't a fatality, it was a crime" after the plane horrifically dropped out of the sky in a death spiral. Maria de Fátima Albuquerque lost her daughter Arianne Albuquerque Risso in the crash, who was a resident doctor in oncology at the Cascavel Cancer Hospital. An emotional Mrs Albuquerque told Globo G1 at the time: 'It wasn't a fatality, anyone who was on that plane would have died, because it was an old wreck. "It wasn't a fatality, it was a crime. Who can ease my pain? You'll see me fighting every day." 8 The debris at the site where an air plane crashed with 62 people on board Credit: AP 8 Authorities are now investigating the cause of the crash Credit: Claudia Vitorino 8 The aircraft was labelled 'an old wreck' by passengers and their families Credit: Reproduction/TV Globo A tragic passenger on the fatal flight had also sent messages to her family saying she was 'scared' of the 'old' plane. Rosana Santos Xavier, 23, had expressed her concern about the ATR 72-500 aircraft in the family chat group shortly after boarding. She wrote: 'I'm so scared of this flight, I swear, it's an old plane. 'There's a broken seat, it's chaos.' The 23-year-old's mum, Rosemeire dos Santos Xavier, told her to read a Psalm to calm her nerves. But she says deep down, she had a bad feeling. A short while later, Rosemeire saw on the news that a plane had crashed. Rosemeire told local media: 'I panicked. I started running around the house screaming.' Rosana was heading back to her home in Franco da Rocha near São Paulo, Brazil, after a work trip. All flights grounded at multiple major UK airports over 'radar failure' as holidaymakers are left 'stranded' The plane had also been undergoing a series of maintenance shutdowns, Brazilian news programme Fantastico has found. In March, the Voepass aircraft experienced a hydraulic problem and abnormal contact with the runway that caused "structural damage", leaving the aircraft out of operation for four months. And just a day before Friday's horror crash, passengers on board the same plane reported suffering from the sweltering heat due to faulty air conditioning. During the flight, passengers reported that they faced extreme heat due to the malfunctioning air conditioning, with one of them saying the temperature was "unbearable". People were trying to cool down as best they could, with one man even taking off his shirt because of the sweltering heat. Voepass said in a statement that the safety has always been the company's priority, adding it "has always acted in compliance with the strict requirements that guarantee the safety of its air operations". 8 Arianne Albuquerque Risso, who died after a plane crash in Vinhedo, Sao Paulo 8 Lawyer Laiana Vasatta, pictured with her husband Fábio Bigolin, was another victim of the horror crash Credit: Jam Press
Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'My neighbours made a petition to get rid of my dogs so kids can play in my garden'
A man has shared his disbelief after his neighbour demanded he get rid of his two dogs, who had been living with his parents, because her child got poo on his hands When house hunting, you'll likely have a checklist of must-haves, nice-to-haves, and negotiables. However, one aspect you might overlook until it's too late is the neighbours. A couple were left rather taken aback by their new neighbours, who initially offered friendly greetings but later began dictating what they could and couldn't do on their own property. A 36-year-old man took to Reddit to share how he and his wife had recently purchased their first home, specifically chosen for its "huge back garden". Initially, their new neighbours politely asked if their children could continue using the expansive back garden, but then things took an unexpected turn. It comes after Brits are told to never put one banned item in garden bins as you could face punishment. The man explained: "The previous owners of our place were an elderly childless couple who were well known in the area for basically being grandparents to everyone and the husband had built multiple tree houses and bridges in the trees for kids to play in. The property is fully fenced but has three swinging gates into it. "When we first moved in we were approached by the next-door neighbour who very politely asked if her kids could keep using the backyard to play in. We agreed that it was OK so long as she understood that if her kids got hurt it wasn't our problem and we wouldn't be supervising kids playing or anything. "She was fine with that and seemed very appreciative and brought over biscuits and juice when she came over to watch her kids. Word went around and eventually we had around a dozen kids coming by each week, some supervised, some in groups of two or three, but everyone was polite and tidy so we didn't really care." However, after Christmas, things took a turn when the man's parents moved into a retirement home and could no longer look after their two dogs - an 11-year-old Belgian shepherd and a 12-year-old German shepherd cross Belgian. The man decided to adopt the dogs, which were adored by the children, until one day an irate neighbour stormed over to complain about them - insisting they get rid of them. He continued: "The problem started when a lady we didn't know showed up at our house and started screaming at my wife, apparently her six-year-old had come home with his friends and they had dog poo smeared all over their hands. She basically told my wife that if she didn't get rid of the dogs then her kids wouldn't come over anymore and she'd press charges for endangerment. "My wife basically told her to eff off and that it wouldn't have happened if she'd been supervising her child. The woman left and came back with a petition and around six signatures for us to get rid of the dogs. We told her to do one and that kids were now no longer welcome. We locked the gates and put signs up explaining and left it at that. "Several of the nice neighbours have come by to beg us to change our minds but we don't want to risk it and we don't have the time to supervise the kids so the gates stay locked. We are now arguing with a couple of people who feel it's unfair that the entire neighbourhood is tarred because of one person's actions." Nevertheless, the man was left questioning whether he'd been too harsh by shutting off the garden completely. "There is something seriously wrong with people who think it's OK to sign a petition telling other people to get rid of their well-behaved, confined, senior dogs. Like beyond simple entitlement wrong", someone raged. "I would just explain to your good neighbours that it's a decision you had to make to protect yourselves and your dogs and it would cause way too much trouble if you let some children in and not others. Honestly just telling the parents you aren't liable if their kids hurt themselves may not be enough to protect you, if you do choose to allow children in again, [I recommend] talking to an attorney first." Another fumed: "I would choose my dogs over any human - especially children. I'm child-free and love dogs more than anything. Make sure to tell them which lady it was".
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
I tested best fish and chips in capital of British national dish – winner was succulent and flaky and only cost £10.50
Check out the ratings for all 22 fish and chip shops in Scarborough we put to the test NOBODY DOES IT BATTER I tested best fish and chips in capital of British national dish – winner was succulent and flaky and only cost £10.50 Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THERE are few things we Brits love more than fish and chips. And Scarborough, home to 93 chippies, knows that more than anywhere else. The seaside resort in North Yorks has more fish and chip shops per head than any other town or city in the country — 85.4 per 100,000 to be precise. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 15 Tom Bryden put the UK's fish and chip capital to the test, trying out as many different establishments as possible Credit: Richard Walker So as a self-confessed fan of our national dish, I knew I had to pay it a visit. My mission? To find the best fish and chips in the fish and chip capital of Britain. My method? By trying as many establishments as I could in the town centre in one day. And along the way, I found out just how the chippy makes the meal like nowhere else — and why it's more important than ever to make a point of supporting your local. As it turns out, the dish had made quite the journey to end up in the UK. Sephardic Jews in 15th Century Portugal enjoyed traditional fried fish on the Sabbath. Cooking on the day itself was forbidden, so they would wrap the fish in batter to preserve it. But when they were banished in 1497, many fled to England, bringing the dish with them — and the tradition of eating it on a Friday soon caught on. By the Victorian era, fried fish was firmly established as a working-class staple, being cheap, nutritious and easy to ship across the country thanks to the arrival of the railways. 'Fried fish warehouses' even featured in the Charles Dickens classic Oliver Twist. Britain's £65 Fish & Chips So Big NO ONE Can Finish It Alone But the title of Britain's first fish and chip shop is hotly debated. A southerner may tell you the first one was opened in Bow, East London, by a Jewish immigrant called Joseph Malin in about 1860, while a northerner might claim it was John Lees, who opened a market stall in Mossley, Lancs, around 1863. Wherever that marriage of fried fish and fried chips was first made, it wasn't long before there was a shop on just about every corner. The dish even escaped rationing during World War Two. 'Prices are rocketing' 'It just worked so well, and it's great nutrition,' says Andrew Crook, President of the National Federation of Fish Friers. The numbers don't lie either. According to UK Fisheries, UK fans scoff around 382million meals from chippies every year and spend £1.2billion on fish and chips annually. Even Queen Elizabeth was a devotee — although she didn't eat fish off a newspaper, instead preferring haddock cut into small squares and covered in breadcrumbs. So how did we come to love fish and chips so much? 'It's a comfort thing,' reckons Andrew. 'People go on holiday, and the first meal they have when they get back is fish and chips. 'Everyone has their favourite chippy — you see so many arguments on social media about which one's better than the other. But as long as it sells and people love it, you're doing alright.' But the good old fish and chip shop is under threat. Although there are still more than 10,500 shops left in the country, they now find themselves under pressure just like other small businesses. 15 Fish and chips shops are under pressure from many different market factors in 2025 Credit: Richard Walker 'Fish prices are rocketing, while staff wages and national insurance contributions have increased,' says Raymond Fusco, a third-generation fish fryer and the owner of Winking Willy's, a fish and chip shop right on the harbourside in Scarborough. He adds: 'Gas price increases were massive too, because of the Ukraine war. All that has to be taken into account.' Reduced cod fishing quotas in recent years have also driven costs upwards. But despite these challenges, Raymond still feels confident about the future. He says: 'The good shops will continue to thrive. You can't imagine a Britain without fish and chips.' Andrew, meanwhile, wants the Government to recognise the problems smaller shops face. He says: 'We've got a great product and people rightly love fish and chips. 'We just need the Government to start engaging with this more closely, because if they don't I fear for many small businesses.' But to really understand fish and chips, I would have to get behind the counter and find out how it is made. Raymond explains the vital parts of the process. The oil will soak in if the batter is too thin — and chips must always be at least double fried. When it comes to the fish, keeping the oil clean is what matters most, and it must be regularly sieved to remove scraps and impurities. 15 Tom was invited behind the scenes to check out how fish and chip shops operate Credit: Richard Walker 'Crispy on outside' It's also why what you get down the chippy is so different to what you get in pubs. Raymond reveals: 'We always say, the busier we are, the better the fish, because you're constantly turning over the oil. 'Pubs don't generally do the same amount of volume.' I was now ready to go back to the customer side of the counter and see what Scarborough had on offer — but what should I be looking for in good fish and chips? Andrew, who also judges the National Fish and Chip awards, says: 'You want to be looking at the batter first. 'I'd always break a fish in half and make sure it's not too gooey underneath. You want a nice thin batter that's crisp, and you want a little bit of lift on it, usually a bit spiky.' Haddock rather than cod is the preferred offering in Scarborough, but a good fish will always be ice white and flakey. And for the chips? Andrew says: 'Crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.' But he added that as it was new potato season, they would likely be on the softer side. For these reviews, I have taken into account flavour and value for money to give each a mark out of ten. Here, I reveal what happened when I put Scarborough — and my arteries — to the test. Winking Willies: £10.50 15 Family-run Winking Willies stood out with terrific taste to score a 9/10 rating Credit: Richard Walker THE batter at this family-run shop certainly delivered a great crunch. The chips also had a good amount of softness on the inside without sacrificing the bite on the outside – no doubt thanks to the fact it is cooked in beef tallow. But it was the fish itself that really stood out, with a succulent flavour and great degree of flakiness. SCORE: 9/10 Harbourside: £11.20 15 Harbourside charged a high price, and thankfully the taste was worth it Credit: Richard Walker Like Willy's, this takeaway on the far end of the seafront also keeps things traditional by frying everything in beef dripping. Taste wise, it's worth it, and the chips had a great colour. I was also impressed by the size of the fish – though at £11.20 I wouldn't expect anything less. The fish was slightly greasy, but the batter was crisp. SCORE: 7/10 The Anchor: £11.30 15 The Anchor has featured on television and the portion sizes were impressive Credit: Richard Walker WITH it featuring on TV's The One Show, I went into The Anchor with high expectations – and it almost met them. The portion size was good, and there was clean separation when I broke away the fish, indicating good batter. But I found the chips to be somewhat undercooked with too much fluff – though having beers on draught almost made up for it. SCORE: 6/10 Bamford's: £10.60 15 Bamfords had a unique taste, leaving the fish skin on - which won't be for everyone Credit: Richard Walker THIS small shop on the front had one of the best coloured chips on offer. The fish also delivered on taste. In its favour, for me, was the fact that the skin was still left on. Though I can appreciate not everyone is a fan of this, I think it adds a nice variety to the flavour, especially when you're tucking into it by the sea. SCORE: 7/10 Tunny Club: £8.95 15 The Tunny Club had another unusual approach, serving a fish and chip wrap Credit: Richard Walker I WAS impressed by this award-winning takeaway's unique twist on the classic dish – a fish and chip wrap, featuring battered haddock, chips, and tartar sauce all bundled together. It came in at a very reasonable price, and I was pleasantly surprised by the innovation, which made a pleasant change from your usual takeaway tray. SCORE: 8/10 Fish Pan: £9.85 15 Old-school seafront restaurant The Fish Pan drew a mixed response from Tom Credit: Richard Walker Established in 1960, this old-school seafront take- away unfortunately left me disappointed. I enjoyed the chips, and the batter looked and tasted good, too. However, the fish itself was far too greasy for me to enjoy, and was too tough as well, lacking the flakiness I had been told by the experts to be on the lookout for. SCORE: 5/10 Papa's: £10.18 15 Boasting to be Britain's Best Fish and Chips, Papa's did not quite live up to the claim Credit: Richard Walker SITTING in a prime position on the seafront, a giant sign announces this as Britain's Best Fish and Chips. Unfortunately, it wasn't on the day I visited. Although the chips were decent, the fish was oily and not as good as many of the others nearby. But at £10.18 for a regular meal, it was one of the better value shops along the front. SCORE: 5/10 Carol's Plaice: £9 15 Carol's Plaice is hidden away from the seafront and was once visited by a top soap star Credit: Richard Walker A FEW streets away from the beach in a more residential area, this small family-owned shop is not chasing the tourist crowd – but it offered plenty of bang for my buck. The chips were generously portioned and the batter was a standout. It's no wonder that Gary from Coronation Street – actor Mikey North – once paid a visit. SCORE: 8/10 Rennards: £9.15 15 The fish outperformed the chips at town centre restaurant Rennards Credit: Richard Walker THE offering from this town centre chippy was a decent size for the price, and the fish itself was tasty. The batter wasn't too bad either, though it could have done with crisping up a little bit more. Unfortunately, the chips were the let-down here, as they were pale, undercooked and overall of poor quality. SCORE: 5/10 Wackers: £10 15 There were no complaints with taste at Wackers, despite the very untraditional looking store Credit: Richard Walker THE understated plain brick frontage of this takeaway just off the main shopping street didn't fill me with buckets of hope. But at a tenner a portion, I couldn't complain. The batter had a good golden colour to it, and the chips tasted great with a lovely crispness on the outside. Top whack! SCORE: 8/10 North Bay Fisheries: £12.50 15 There was a queue for North Bay Fisheries despite the price, and the taste showed why Credit: Richard Walker THE large queue snaking out of the door proved why this establishment, situated on the opposite side of town, is one of the highest-rated chippies in Scarborough. The batter and chips all scored top marks, and the fish was tasty too with a more meaty texture. By far the most expensive takeaway I visited but the portion size was very generous. SCORE: 9/10 Catch 55: £10 15 Catch 55 delivered on taste, and could have scored higher with a bigger portion Credit: Richard Walker JUST one road back from the seafront, this smart establishment offered a regular meal for a reasonable tenner. The batter was some of the best I'd had, and the fish was also tasty. But although the chips were great, they were let down by the fact that there were not as many in my box as other shops had served me. SCORE: 7/10
