We have just had three weeks of noise and smoke at home as we played host to Wye Valley Tree Services. Our old friend James Stewart-Brown is one of the best Tree Surgeons around. He and his team first worked for us about a year ago on a big job that was mainly using an aerial lift at full height. Little did he know then that this was a training run and prelude for the 2012 offensive. This year he had to repeat the work on another belt of trees plus fell a large number of 141' tall Poplars.

His work is a true art as these mighty trees had a diameter at the base of about 48 to 60 inches and it must be said that his trade is not for the fainthearted or those that do not have a head for heights. We enclose a picture of some of the timber being transported to the saw mill.

The skill required generally, but especially roadside, to get the tree falls in the correct place is something I most admired. This was risk assessment at its best. Although this work cost us a fortune it was essential and something only a very skilled team could accomplish. A big “Thank You” to James and his team - especially Ollie who, in spite of his delicate English accent, appeared proud of his Welsh ancestry and kept reminding us of the Six Nations Rugby results.

See www.treeman.co.uk. If you need tree work we highly recommend James, he also carries out a lot of work from his old family base in Hertfordshire as well as Wales and Herefordshire.