THREE trees, said to be threatening to push over a vicarage wall, are facing the chop.

Leeds diocese want the two sycamore and a beech felled from behind the retaining wall at Kildwick vicarage.

A structural engineer has condemned the wall as "dangerous" and says the trees will have to be chopped down in order to make it safe.

It is one of four phases of work to fell trees which skirt the boundary wall and has sparked some opposition.

A report to Craven council says: "The trees need to be removed so that the retaining boundary wall can be rebuilt and made safe. The diocese is responsible for public safety and the wall is clearly in dangerous condition.

"It is not possible to retain the trees and make the wall safe. Trees will be replanted further into the garden once work to the wall is completed."

Villagers had a chance to object to the plan until Wednesday, November 23 - the deadline was extended after Keith Midgley, chairman of the parish meeting, complained that the planning application was incomplete in that it did not specify which trees were threatened.

He said: "It seems to be very drastic action which will have a visual impact on the environment. It is going to completely change the aspect of the village.

"I have seen a photograph of the wall from 100 years ago and the wall looks the same as it does now. People I have spoken to are horrified."

He wanted the trees to remain and believed there should be some form of physical monitoring of any movement of the wall to better assess how much the trees might be impacting on the wall.

A spokesman for the Diocese of Leeds said: “Public safety concerns due to substantial cracks in a stone wall bordering a road have prompted an application for tree removal.

“This was following expert advice and the decision rests with Craven district council.”

A Craven council spokesman said local people had been given an extended time period to comment about the proposal to be remove the trees in the interest of public safety and to rebuild the retaining wall.

"The council’s arboriculturist will inspect the trees and the council will decide whether to make a preservation order to protect the trees or allow the applicant to remove the trees as requested.”