Residents in Pickley Green, were not given any notice of the environmental work which Wigan Council say was urgent for safety reasons.

Several birch trees which were planted by residents were removed by the Council following concerns over damage to nearby property.

But one angry neighbour believes the council should be punished for completing the tree-felling without warning.

In a letter of complaint to Wigan MBC, Pickley Green resident Alan Hall stated: "For the second time this winter, a team arrived and started felling perfectly good trees.

"They started with a huge mature tree at the far pedestrian entrance and have now continued to fell several mature birch trees on the north western boundary. What is going on?

"Several of these birch trees were planted by residents themselves during an initiative from Wigan MBC several years ago.

"Why were residents not consulted before this wanton destruction commenced?

''If any of the residents themselves had felled these trees they would have been prosecuted.

"This is the wettest period of the year and the green is a complete sea of mud where the machinery has churned up the grass."

Wigan Council says it was obliged to act quickly to remove the trees after an inspection last week.

Tree and woodland officer Andrew Smallshaw said: "This was an urgent safety issue following an inspection on Thursday. Some ad-joining trees were already scheduled for removal as they were damaging a fence and the job was done on Friday.

"This is what's called 'actionable nuisance' when a tree is physically touching property and we have to act. The land will be reseeded, and a good number of new oaks will be planted in appropriate places there in the autumn."