BIRMINGHAM City Council has been fined £150,000 and ordered to pay £56,000 costs after the deaths of an Alcester man and two other people nearly three years ago.

The council pleaded guilty to a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act at Birmingham Crown Court after being prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive.

Alan Poole, 59, of Devonish Close, died on December 3, 1999, after a large oak tree fell over in severe gales on the Alcester Road in Kings Heath.

After an inquest into all three deaths in August, the coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.

After the case, Joy Jones, principal inspector of health and safety, said: "The management of its extensive tree stock was the responsibility of the city council.

"It failed to take all reasonably practical precautions to ensure all trees were in a safe condition.

"The tree which caused these deaths was decayed and in a dangerous condition.

"Had the council in place an effective inspection regime, it should have been felled long before this incident."

Mrs Poole's solicitor Howard Davies, of Simpson Millar, said: "Judi and her family are pleased criminal proceedings have concluded although they recognise this will not bring Alan back.

"They hope lessons have been learnt and it will not be repeated. Legal proceedings have been started against Birmingham City Council by Mrs Poole and it is hoped this will be concluded swiftly."