A PENSIONER has called on a Rowley Regis school to maintain its giant trees – after one of its large branches fell off and almost destroyed his garage.

Terry Collins, 68, says he has fought a four-year-long battle with the Primrose Primary Centre, a school for children with behavioural issues, on Throne Road.

He says the 60-70ft high trees on the school’s land, which overhang onto his property, are a danger to the public and that action needs to be taken.

Mr Collins, who suffers from fatigue condition fibromyalgia, says the situation has left him feeling compelled to climb ladders and prune branches himself, as he has done on occasion.

He said: “The trees were too big in the first place but they have grown and the school should have maintained them properly – if you have a tree, you maintain it by pruning and chopping back.

“They had a tree surgeon in a couple of years ago to take dangerous branches off but nothing since.

“One branch came off last month – it came straight through my fence and hit part of the garage. If it had hit the top of the garage it would have gone straight through and there was a car in there.

“You are talking three-quarters of a tonne of tree and it was lucky it happened at 2.15am – I heard a big crack but it wasn’t until the morning that I realised what had happened.

“I’m not bothered about the damage – that’s repairable. But accidental damage to life can’t be repaired. Someone could get seriously hurt by a falling branch.”

Mrs Kuldip Berdesha, head teacher at Primrose, said the issues were being looked into.

She added: “The trees are maintained on a regular basis and assessed and trimmed where necessary by tree surgeons.

“It’s unfortunate a branch has recently fallen but this is not uncommon during windy weather and is difficult to predict.

“We have arranged for specialists to come and assess the trees again and carry out any necessary work.”