I am a registered childminder and approx 4 weeks ago approached my neighbour about the overhanging branches from his walnut tree as I believed they posed a potential risk to the children who play in my garden. I did not have to ask his permission to cut back the branches as I was within my rights to cut back any overhanging trees which invade my garden spce but I wanted to maintain neighbourly relations. I explained I wanted to cut them back due to the anaphylactic shock risk to the children. By the end of this conversation the neighbour then actually agreed to cut back some of the offending branches to save me hiring a Tree Surgeon to do it. We then happily waited for him to cut back the branches only to find out 4 weeks later that he had gone behind our backs to contact the local council to get a TPO in place on the walnut tree. I could not believe anyone could be so underhand to do this and also to consider that a tree is worth more than a child's life.