A SAFETY review of trees in Blackburn is to go ahead after two collapsed in the last three months.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has started inspecting trees near Corporation Park after a family had a lucky escape after a large trunk crashed down a short distance from where they had parked on Sunday.

The 30-foot trunk crashed onto East Park Road and missed Azaz Chanda, Shezmeen Munshi, and their son Mousa by a matter of feet.

The road had to be closed for several hours while the tree was removed.

Cllr Hussain Akhtar, who represents the area on Blackburn with Darwen Council, called for the review to take place.

In April a large sycamore tree collapsed in the back of a garden in Preston New Road, Blackburn.

Children had been playing in the garden just hours before it fell.

Cllr Akhtar said he was concerned someone could get seriously hurt.

He said: “I wanted the council to review all the trees in the area because this is worrying.

“I wanted people to feel safe and not worry about going to parks or green spaces or fear about the trees in their garden.

“If any trees are not safe then they should be removed before one falls again and potentially kills someone.

“Despite the council’s dwindling budget we need to do the best we can for residents.”

There are in the region of 100,000 trees in the borough which the council are responsible for.

Martin Eden, director of environment and leisure, said: “Following the incident at Corporation Park tree surgeons have removed the fallen tree.

“They are currently carrying out inspections on the trees in the area to see if there any others that may be unstable.

“Any trees that are deemed to be unsafe will be removed.”