Bexhill tree ‘killed by mystery spray’

A Pebsham resident claims her hedge and a nearby tree died after being sprayed with a mystery substance.
L-R: Michael Back and Mick Matthews with the tree in Dallington Close, Pebsham. SUS-210906-151428001L-R: Michael Back and Mick Matthews with the tree in Dallington Close, Pebsham. SUS-210906-151428001
L-R: Michael Back and Mick Matthews with the tree in Dallington Close, Pebsham. SUS-210906-151428001

In March, a man, believed to be from the council, was seen spraying the substance near an area of open space in Dallington Close, next door to Ann Back’s house.

Ann, 75, said: “I planted that hedge nearly 20 years ago and they have come round and sprayed the bottom of it and it seems to have killed part of it off. And the tree out the front door.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I want to know, if my hedge died completely, who is going to pay for it?”

The photo shows how bare the tree in Dallington Close, Pebsham, is. According to local residents, the tree is usually full of leaves in June. (Pic taken 9/6/21) SUS-210906-151455001The photo shows how bare the tree in Dallington Close, Pebsham, is. According to local residents, the tree is usually full of leaves in June. (Pic taken 9/6/21) SUS-210906-151455001
The photo shows how bare the tree in Dallington Close, Pebsham, is. According to local residents, the tree is usually full of leaves in June. (Pic taken 9/6/21) SUS-210906-151455001

Son Michael said: “The big tree has got to be 30 feet tall. It’s now hardly got any leaves on it.

“They were supposed to come round and spray the pavement, but they have not done any on the pavement.”

Ann added: “They have missed a bit all along the kerb by the road. The grass along the kerb reaches as high as my back wheel.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The council confirmed that the man was not one of its contractors and said some of the area was the responsibilty of housing association Optivo.

Optivo says it has no record of the alleged incident.

A spokesperson from Optivo said: “We’ve no record of Ann Back making contact with us at the time of the alleged incident or since, so we’re unable to comment specifically about this.

“We look after a small area, predominantly garages, at Dallington Close. We don’t own the road or pavements and there are no hedges which belong to us.

“In circumstances where we professionally apply a herbicide treatment, there is no risk to human or pet health. We use a broadleaf herbicide weed treatment on actively growing weeds.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It does not kill trees and if it came into accidental contact with a hedge, it should only cause the contact leaf to brown. It shouldn’t kill the hedge and is fully British Standard / EU compliant.

“We’ve a partnership contract with Hastings Borough Council and Rother District Council and we all use the same contractor.”