FOUR ash trees near at the play area and football pitch in Dymock are to be felled or cut back because there is a risk that branches could fall onto people.

Two of the trees will be felled, one reduced to a height of 3.5 metres (9ft 9in) while the lower branches on the other will removed.

One of the two trees to be felled overhangs play equipment and is adjacent to Kempley Road

Is infected with Inonootus Hispodus, a bracket fungus that can cause branches to suddenly snap.

The other one that is to be removed is one of two that has ash dieback, a disease that causes weakening of the tree’s structure.

The other tree with ash dieback is next to the football pitch and will be reduced in height to a 3.5 metres (9ft 9in) pole.

The final tree is also next to the football pitch and will be trimmed so the lowest branches are six metres (19ft 6in) from the ground.

The Forest Council is looking to carry out the work following an assessment by an expert.

The trees are covered by a preservation order made in 1989.

Permission was granted by the council’s development control committee with 12 votes in favour and no abstentions.

IT includes a condition that the trees are replaced.

Assistant tree and countryside officer Stuart Payne said the replacements were likely to be species such as oak or beech.

Given the location, they would not be replaced by ash.

Mr Payne said: “If it was in the middle of a woodland with no public access, you would leave it.

“But in places where there are people at risk…best to get rid of the trees and plant something else because the risk is not worth taking.”