Large fallen tree trunk covered in sawdust with a chainsaw resting on it beside fences and a shed — Main trunk lying along the garden with a chainsaw resting on the cut bark

Fallen tree crown with brown autumn leaves lying across a garden in sunlight — Fallen crown still in autumn leaf, spread over the garden

Torn rotten tree base and stump beside a wooden fence panel and shed after the tree came down — Split, decayed stump base with the torn trunk leaning against a fence

This Birmingham job followed a large broadleaf tree coming down in a narrow back garden. The trunk and crown had landed among sheds and fencing, leaving a tangle of timber and branches that had to be handled carefully, one cut at a time, before the garden could be used again.

What the photos show

The first photo shows the main trunk lying along the garden with sawdust on the bark and a chainsaw resting on it, while cut rounds and branch wood pile up to the right. The second shows the crown, still covered in brown leaves, pressed down over the ground. The third shows the split, rotten base of the tree, a torn stump beside it, and a fence panel leaning under the weight.

Clearing a tree that has come down

A fallen tree is rarely stable. Trunks can be under tension or resting on other timber, so we work out which way each section may move before we cut. The crown is taken off first, the trunk is then cut into lengths we can manage, and everything is carried out and chipped or taken away.

If a tree has fallen onto a neighbour, a building or a power line, keep clear and call us before anyone touches it. Never climb on, or try to cut, a tree that is resting on a structure, because the load can shift without warning and a small cut can release a lot of weight.