On Sunday morning, 18th April 2021, one of the Sandridge Road ornamental cherry trees found the weight of blossom on a branch too much to bear; it fell across the footpath and most of the road. Fortunately, nobody on the pavement or road came to any harm and that it was a Sunday morning when traffic was relatively light.
The second picture shows the cause of the break. The white colour at the top of the split is fungal attack where water has laid in the angle of the branch and trunk. This is an almost inevitable consequence of the age of the remaining original trees, which were planted in 1936, marking King George the Fifth’s 25th Jubilee.
From time to time trees are pre-emptively felled, frequently to the dismay and concern of local people. This most recent event shows the need to follow the precautionary principle.
Photos and text: RM