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The Irish Sun

Ex-Premier League manager wins bitter battle with neighbours over 7 ‘nuisance' trees full of squawking magpies

FORMER Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan has won his battle with neighbours to axe seven "nuisance" trees at his Cheshire mansion - despite fears for magpies. The Advertisement 3 Retired football player Kevin Keegan Credit: Getty 3 The sycamore trees near his home (not pictured) are all in poor condition. Similar trees are pictured on a public road Credit: Matthew Pover One protestor even sent a sound recording to the local council of birds in the trees including blackbirds, blue tits, parakeets, robins and Magpies, in a desperate bid to save the 60ft-high sycamores. Newcastle are called the Magpies because of their black and white striped kit, like the bird's plumage, and The 50-year-old trees were slapped with a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) before the row of four houses, including Keegan's, were built. But Keegan and his neighbours have now successfully applied to the local council to have the "dead and decaying" trees completely felled to the ground. Advertisement Read more neighbour rows In a letter, one objector wrote: "The protected trees have always provided a welcome and quite natural habitat for the wide diversity of animals, especially birds. "For many years, our property and those of our neighbours have overlooked an empty field. Now our view, especially during the winter months, is of four detached houses. "During the summer months, a time when most people enjoy being out in their gardens, the protected trees have provided a level of privacy, shade from the sun and good noise reduction (for all parties). "Over the last 40 years I can honestly say the protected trees have caused no real problems at all. To destroy live trees would be a tragedy." Advertisement Most read in Football Exclusive Exclusive Another objector, whose house backs on to They said: "I am in total agreement that tree maintenance and action is required to the trees. My objection is with some of the proposed action." A third objector said: "The face the trees are now considered a nuisance shouldn't necessitate their wanton removal, after all the trees were there long before the houses were built." Keegan won three Division One Championships, two UEFA Cups, one FA Cup and a European Cup in his playing career at Advertisement As a manager, he is famous for his "I would love it if we beat them" rant at Sir Alex Ferguson as his The former England boss moved to his five-bedroom Cheshire pad in 2002 and has since added a loft conversion, two dormer windows and a rear conservatory. Officials at Trafford Council gave the go-ahead for the tree felling by April 2027, but ordered that new trees should be planted. They said: "The sycamore trees proposed for removal are all in poor condition, most have areas of dead bark on the lower stem, structural weaknesses in the crown and poor leaf budding rates. Advertisement "Decay is evident in several previous pruning points and these trees are likely to become hazardous in the near future if they remain." 3 The former England boss moved to his five-bedroom Cheshire pad in 2002 Credit: Jon Bond - The Sun