FED up residents of a Colley Gate street are appealing to Dudley Council to pollard an overgrown lime tree outside their homes before someone is injured.

The roots of the tree are also damaging the pavement in Beecher Road East and a driveway – where the seven-month pregnant householder tripped and almost fell.

Expectant mum Bev Tart, who also has a 14-month-old daughter Millie, said there had been no response from the council to her complaints made two months ago.

A fall could have serious implications for Mrs Tart whose blood group is negative and any bruising to her stomach would result in her having to be injected to prevent complications from the possibility of her blood mixing with that of her unborn child.

She said: “We bought the house in February and the tree roots are pushing up the slabs on our drive. I don’t even like my little girl walking up the slabs for fear of her falling.

“We complained to the council after I tripped and they said they would send an inspector but we’ve heard nothing since.”

She and husband Martin want to block pave the drive but fear the spreading roots would wreck their efforts.

Next door neighbour Doulton Golden fears an oversized 14ft long branch is in danger of breaking off in high wind and injuring a passer-by or smashing onto his car He said traffic also speeds along the road, which is used as a rat-run between Halesowen and Stourbridge, at up to 50mph, adding that the tree creates a blind spot when he manoeuvres his car off his drive.

Mr Golden said: “The trees are too big for the road. The tree outside my house is taller than the house and the overhanging branch is in danger of falling on someone or my car.

“My car is masked by it and when it’s in full leaf it blocks out the street light.”

Neighbour Clive Emery said he feared the tree roots would start interfering with the underground services and condemned the size of the tree as a “nuisance”.

He added: “Many years ago the trees were pollarded but now they just get a bit of light trimming – they need more than that.”

Councillor Khurshid Ahmed, cabinet member with responsibility for green care, said: “We have been working with Mr Golden for several months to resolve the issues with a tree near his property.

“Our experts conducted a survey of trees in the area and carried out some pruning work on the trees in July this year which may help with the issues he raised, but cannot justify major pruning or removal of a healthy, strong tree.”

He added that following the inquiry by the News an officer will visit Mrs Tart to assess the situation with her drive as soon as possible.