More than 90 per cent of trees next to county's roads have ash dieback disease

Lancashire County Council says it has checked almost 10,000 of ash trees next to roads throughout the county - including Pendle - over the summer and of these, has found the vast majority are showing signs of the disease.

It is now reminding owners of trees they are responsible and should make sure they pose no potential safety risk to the public.

Ash Dieback, also known as Chalara, affects the UK’s native ash species European or Common ash, and has spread throughout the UK in recent years.

There is currently no cure and it can lead to infected trees shedding branches or limbs, or potentially collapsing as the tree dies.

North Yorkshire County Council is also carrying out a survey of ash trees in the county, including Craven. It is yet to come up with figures of diseased trees, but it is likely to be about the same as across the border.

Lancashire estimates that around 65 per cent of ash trees in the county are privately owned, making it the responsibility of the tree owner to ensure they are in a safe condition.

The authority is reminding residents, businesses and landowners to check their ash trees while they are still in leaf to ensure they do not become a hazard to road users or people using nearby pavements.

County Councillor Charlie Edwards, cabinet member for highways and transport at Lancashire County Council said: “The findings of our tree survey show a similar picture to other parts of the country, but we are now able to confirm the scale of the problem in Lancashire with thousands of infected ash trees next to roads, as well as many others alongside countryside paths, and on other properties.

“We will be notifying some landowners if we find through our inspections that they have a tree that is a danger to a highway or footpath. But there will be many more trees on private property throughout the county that could pose a risk to other people or property, so it is important that tree owners look out for signs of the disease."

He added: “Autumn offers the last chance this year to check your trees for more obvious signs of Ash Dieback before they lose their leaves in the first frosts. Infected trees should be regularly inspected by a professional so that, as the disease progresses, appropriate decisions can be made and accidents can be prevented.

“Timing inspections this way allows any work that is needed to be carried out to infected trees to be done over the winter, when it is safer to do so and better for the health of the tree.

“Infected ash trees are more susceptible to storm damage and could pose a real danger if not made safe so it’s particularly important to have work done earlier in the season.”

Meanwhile, Nigel Smith, head of highway operations at |North Yorkshire County Council, said a working group has established a strategy for surveying ash trees next to the county's roads, which will include the mapping of each tree and assessment of their condition.

He said: “As part of this strategy we will also carry out a risk assessment on those trees affected by ash dieback to determine whether part of or the whole tree needs to be felled.

“This strategy will also include engagement with private landowners if the trees are outside of the highway extents but close to roads or footways.

“In the interim we are dealing with individual reports of infected trees. Our property services are also carrying out surveys of trees on council premises.”

You can find information and advice including a new video, and links to resources provided by organisations such as the Forestry Commission and Woodland Trust at www.lancashire.gov.uk/ashdieback