A PENSIONER has become involved in a row with council officials about an oak tree which he says towers above his home.

Bert Hopwood contacted Hyndburn Council in April because he was concerned it might fall on his house in bad weather.

Mr Hopwood said the tree had not been lopped for five years and now stood taller than his Banbury Close council house in Accrington.

Today, the council insisted the tree was not dangerous but admitted it would be the autumn before workers could find time to cut it back.

"You ring them up and they say they will deal with it and then they just shelve it," said Mr Hopwood.

"It needs trimming. If it's struck by lightning or high winds it could hit this property.

"A woman came round in April and said council workmen were cutting the grass at the time and I would have to wait. In the meantime the tree is still growing.

"I reported it when there were no leaves on it now it's full of leaves."

Mr Hopwood said he had rung the council again last Wednesday but had received no satisfaction.

"I am a pensioner and disabled and I can do without all this. They trimmed it back five years ago so they must have appreciated it needed doing then and it's grown back again. I'm concerned."

The 72-year-old suffers with a spine problem, the result of an accident at work, and has heart trouble.

John Schofield, technical manager of Hyndburn Council's work services, said: "When investigating cases like this we always check if the tree is dead, dying or dangerous, and wherever possible we aim to preserve trees as they are obviously such an important part of our natural environment.

"An officer investigated the tree in question in April and it was found to be neither dead, dying nor dangerous, therefore it was treated as a general pruning request.

"As the pruning team is also the grass mowing team general pruning requests are attended to in autumn when the grass has stopped growing.

"The tree was inspected again on Wednesday and is still not dead, dying or dangerous therefore we will prune it in the autumn when the mowing season has come to an end.

"The situation was explained to Mr Hopwood when he reported it in April and again on Wednesday. We are sorry he is disappointed with the result and assure him the tree does not present a danger."