Residents of Poltair Road in Penryn have been fighting back against planned works on their road.

Sue Bradshaw and Monica Linthwaite have taken it upon themselves to protest the planned felling of a tree on Poltair Road after workman turned up with chainsaw today (April 13) looking to cut it down.

Falmouth Packet: Sue Bradshaw (left) and Monica Linthwaite are taking shifts to protect the treeSue Bradshaw (left) and Monica Linthwaite are taking shifts to protect the tree

The two residents claim that the Sycamore tree, which is the only tree in Poltair Road, has been there at least 60 years according to residents and that their neighbours think it has been there since before the road was built in the early 1950s.

They also claim that tree does not block the pavement and allows the public to pass by it safely.

Sue said: "We came out this morning to find bollards and the chaps had their chainsaws out.

"First of all they just started work with the man up the tree with the chainsaw.

"So I went though the bollards and he said 'out of the way, you're causing a hazard,' and I said 'no I'm not moving.'

"I said 'you can't just go cutting down this tree' and he said 'oh yes we can' and he started herding me off, although he didn't touch me.

"So I said 'well I'm afraid I'm not going to move,' then one of my neighbours came to support me and so they stopped.

"The head guy said he'd be arranging for a 'proper' guy to come and take a look at it, although we don't know whether we trust them."

"So we'll be keeping a watchful eye."

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Falmouth Packet: Last week the pair chained themselves to the tree in order to stop it being cut down. Last week the pair chained themselves to the tree in order to stop it being cut down.

Today wasn't the first time the pair had taken direct action either.

When workmen appeared last week to cut it down, Sue and Monica managed to chain themselves to the tree in protest and managed to stop the works going ahead.

"They came last week and just turned up out of the blue and started up their chainsaws after asking people to move their cars, and we thought 'what's going on here?'

"I lived in that house for thirty years my neighbours lived her for nearly 60 years, so it's old, probably way over 100 years old, and it's a beautiful tree.

"We've got all sorts of birds nesting in it, bats flying around it in the evenings and we just couldn't believe it.

"They said someone had reported it as a dangerous tree a year ago, which was when we had the storms, so yeah a couple of branches had come off of it.

"But the Cormac guy refused to give any evidence about whether the tree was diseased or rotten.

"They said 'no we're just here following orders'

"So I put in a Tree Protection Order and was told by the lady in charge of that that actually it could take six to eight weeks to go through and the Cormac guys said 'we'll it'll be cut down by then so it won't matter.'

"It's just a disgrace, I mean, farmers aren't allowed to cut back their hedges this time of year because everything is coming out, birds are looking for nesting areas, and this tree is full of birds."

Cormac Ltd and Cornwall Council have been approached for comment.