A determined Quinton pensioner has accused the council of "vandalism" after they chopped down a tree outside her home.
Gladys Jones was left fuming after seeing a team of Birmingham City Council workers fell a flowering cherry tree late last month, without informing residents.
The 83-year-old, who fought a six-year campaign to get the tree planted on a grass verge by her Wolverhampton Road South home, claims the council have wasted taxpayers' money by removing a healthy tree.
She believes officials could not tell the difference between a root and a seedling, after she was told the tree was removed because its roots were affecting the pavement and nearby gardens.
Gladys said: "I could not believe it - it was sheer vandalism because there was nothing wrong with the tree.
"They claimed it was fetching the pavement up - there is nothing there.
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"They claimed it had fetched a wall up - it hasn't touched a wall.
"I called up one of the tree officers and called him a vandal but he put the phone down on me.
"The problem was with seedlings, not the root.
"I planted one in my back garden and it has grown about a foot."
The cherry tree was planted as a replacement for a chestnut tree damaged by speeding cars, and Gladys revealed she has been assured it will be replaced during the next planting season.
She added: "They say they will replace it but that is not the point.
"I have asked for a detailed breakdown of the costs involved in chopping down the tree, I think I am owed it.
"I can't believe the council would waste money in this way."
A spokesperson for the council said: "We were informed by a member of the public that the tree's roots were producing shoots which could have led to considerable damage to gardens and the nearby pavements if they were allowed to continue to grow.
"Whilst we attempted to prune the roots this was not viable, and because many of the roots were growing on the surface, the decision was taken by our qualified and experienced tree officer to fell the tree.
"It is our intention to replant another suitable tree in the same place towards the end of this year."
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