Garden trees 'need official safety checks'

Homeowners face the prospect of paying for a regular inspection of the trees in their garden after a safety watchdog claimed falling branches posed a threat to the public.

The British Standards Institution wants all trees to be checked by a "trained person" every three years, with an even more rigorous "expert inspection" every five years.

The drive follows court cases where fallen branches have led to accidents.

However, the Government's Risk and Regulation Advisory Council has asked the BSI to think again as statistics show just six people a year are killed by falling trees. In contrast, 647 people a year die tripping on stairs at home.