triggersANGRY residents have hit out after a Blackburn machinist had a brush with death when a two-ton tree branch fell on to his car.

Developers will send in tree experts after Arshad Mahmood's car suffered extensive damage.

The 26-year-old had gone into Reliance Jeans Wear, Whalley New Road, Blackburn, when he heard a loud splintering sound and a crash.

A main branch from an 80 ft poplar tree in Notre Dame Gardens had crashed on to the back of his car.

Residents of the Barratt development say they have been warning for months that the tree was in a dangerous condition.

Christine Dewhurst said £300 worth of damage was caused to the roof of her house when the tree lost a branch last year.

In the same incident damage was also caused to parked cars.

She said: "It is terrible. It is the same tree that wrecked my roof.

"Residents have been worried about it for some time. I believe it has been dead for a while and we have complained to the police but nothing has been done. "I just can't get over this latest incident. You can see the branch swaying in high winds.

"This was an accident waiting to happen. The young man is lucky to be alive."

Arshad said he had just parked his car outside the factory when he heard the crashing sound and came rushing out.

"I couldn't believe my eyes. If I had been in the car I could have been killed," he said.

Blackburn firefighters and council workmen started a mammoth clearing up operation after the stricken tree blocked the road bringing traffic to a standstill.

Firefighter John Buck said: "Thankfully no-one was hurt.

"We are talking about two tonnes of tree here and it could have been quite nasty."

A spokesman for Barratt said: "As a result of the incident, we are commissioning independent consultants to inspect the condition of the trees."

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