TREE repairs cost Winsford Town Council almost £2,000 last year.

Remedial work to cut branches off unsafe trees is placing a burden on funds, councillors were told at a meeting on Monday evening.

The bill soared to £1,985 during 2018/19 and was paid using funds that were largely unbudgeted.

Finance officer Mark Bailey said: "The issue of trees being cut down and branches being lopped off needs to be looked at. We receive calls from individuals reporting unsafe trees.

"We need to draw up a policy on how to deal with trees."

Cllr Tony Hooton said: "We do need clarity on this. There was an incident in Dunham Massey where a tree fell over and killed a child.

"We don't want a tree falling over or causing a disaster."

An eight-year-old boy was crushed to death at Dunham Massey when a 300-year-old beech tree crashed to the ground in 70mph winds on New Year's Day in 2005.

Cllr Mike Kennedy said he and his wife had a lucky escape after a sudden deluge brought a huge tree down on a road as they were out walking their dog along Spring Bank and Well Street.

"Had we been half an hour earlier we would be dead," he told members. "Because this tree had large leaves it was top heavy with water. A five minute heavy shower forced one of the trees down. It blocked High Street."

Cllr Kennedy, chairman of the town council's finance committee, said the council needs to review the cost of tree repairs and set out a clear policy on how the work should be carried out and funded.