A PAIR of lumbering giants have been spared the chop in Ipswich's Christchurch Park after some of their huge branches crashed to the ground.

A PAIR of lumbering giants have been spared the chop in Ipswich's Christchurch Park after some of their huge branches crashed to the ground.

A giant oak and a massive eucalyptus, thought to be one of the biggest in the country, lost the limbs through old age.

The eucalyptus is one of the largest girth cider gums in East Anglia but heavy rainfall following a series of relatively dry years weakened the colossal tree, causing its branches to drop off.

The tree, which is near to the Westerfield Road entrance of the park, is currently cordoned off to prevent people going near it.

A cordon has been lifted around the oak tree and the council has promised to do all it can to help it survive and save both trees from being hacked down.

Every tree found on public land is surveyed regularly by council tree experts and looked after by park rangers.

Where needed, as in the case of Christchurch Park's trees, a programme of closer inspection and treatment is then put into action.

But on Tuesday one of the eucalyptus tree's massive branches came plummeting to the ground and the council was left with little choice but to advance the work to an earlier date.

A council spokesman said: “Many of the trees in Christchurch Park are very old and due to the natural ageing process can occasionally result in the loss of a limb or branch.

“The eucalyptus tree was decaying and needed attention and a programme of work was planned.

“As a result of a large limb falling from the tree we have decided to bring forward the programme of works required.”

Tree surgeons will need to remove at least half of the tree's upper limbs to ensure that it is safe and to prevent further risk of falling branches.

Though this will result in an odd looking tree it will in fact give the giant eucalyptus the best possible chance of survival.

Are you concerned about falling tree branches? Have you seen any other fallen branches in the park? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk