Hoddlesden village chainsaw massacres sleep

11:13am Friday 12th November 2010 in Hoddlesden Photograph of the Author By Catherine Pye, Health reporter

CHRISTMAS CHORE: The tree ready for decorating CHRISTMAS CHORE: The tree ready for decorating

VILLAGERS in Hoddlesden were given a rude awakening by workmen with chainsaws.

Bernadette Woods of Queen’s Square, was unable to get back to sleep at 5.40am after being blasted for 20 minutes by the machine’s noise as the village Christmas tree was erected.

Four men, contracted by Blackburn with Darwen Council, used the saw to cut the bottom of the tree into shape.


Short video clip of the workers in action

The council has now apologised, saying the noise was ‘unacceptable’.

Mrs Woods, 52, said: “I was having trouble sleeping anyway as my husband goes out to work cleaning the streets at 3am, and I had just begun to doze off again when the chainsaw started.

“Why couldn’t they have done the trimming at the yard before bringing it here?

I went outside to ask them to stop but they couldn’t hear me.

"There were four of them, a load of vehicles and flashing lights.

“At these times of economic hardship and cutbacks, do we really need all that?”

She added: “We’ve lived here for eight years and never had this before.

"They usually put the tree up at 9pm, which is fine. I’m not against having the tree.

"I’m sure it’ll look lovely when it’s decorated, but there was no need for the early-morning start.”

The tree, which has not yet been decorated, stands in the village green, near the war memorial.

Another resident of Queen’s Square, who asked not to be named, said: “I heard the noise and thought they were cutting the grass.

“It was ridiculously early to be doing the work, and it’s also too early to be putting up Christmas trees on Armistice Day.”

Peter Hunt, director of regeneration and environment, said: “We apologise for the disturbance.

“The contractors were delivering the trees to the village and they went early to avoid blocking off the road with their large vehicle.

"But using a chainsaw at that time in the morning is not acceptable.”

Comments (11)

11:55am Fri 12 Nov 10

useyourhead says...

Oh boo hoo, if this is all that is disrupting your life and causing hassle you are lucky.
-
wait till there is no space in the budget for a tree, then you will be whinging that they weren't there!
-
Oh boo hoo, if this is all that is disrupting your life and causing hassle you are lucky. - wait till there is no space in the budget for a tree, then you will be whinging that they weren't there! - useyourhead

2:42pm Fri 12 Nov 10

slammer says...

Ohh! Sleep, I read 'sheep' and thought WTF!
Ohh! Sleep, I read 'sheep' and thought WTF! slammer

4:13pm Fri 12 Nov 10

Viv says...

Maybe the people complaining would have preferred the experience of having the road outside their house 'cold planed' and resurfaced in the early hours instead - which is what happened to me at the end of June. Believe me it was no fun having that sort of noise going on at 1:30am, especially as I had to be up at 4:30am.
.
There are far worse things to happen than being woken up at 5:45, as for many people this would be a fairly normal start to their day.
Maybe the people complaining would have preferred the experience of having the road outside their house 'cold planed' and resurfaced in the early hours instead - which is what happened to me at the end of June. Believe me it was no fun having that sort of noise going on at 1:30am, especially as I had to be up at 4:30am. . There are far worse things to happen than being woken up at 5:45, as for many people this would be a fairly normal start to their day. Viv

4:13pm Fri 12 Nov 10

Viv says...

Maybe the people complaining would have preferred the experience of having the road outside their house 'cold planed' and resurfaced in the early hours instead - which is what happened to me at the end of June. Believe me it was no fun having that sort of noise going on at 1:30am, especially as I had to be up at 4:30am.
.
There are far worse things to happen than being woken up at 5:45, as for many people this would be a fairly normal start to their day.
Maybe the people complaining would have preferred the experience of having the road outside their house 'cold planed' and resurfaced in the early hours instead - which is what happened to me at the end of June. Believe me it was no fun having that sort of noise going on at 1:30am, especially as I had to be up at 4:30am. . There are far worse things to happen than being woken up at 5:45, as for many people this would be a fairly normal start to their day. Viv

4:57pm Fri 12 Nov 10

tpreece01 says...

Right, let's all go round to Viv and useyourhead's house in the morning and wake them up at stupid o'clock. I bet they won't complain!
Right, let's all go round to Viv and useyourhead's house in the morning and wake them up at stupid o'clock. I bet they won't complain! tpreece01

7:25pm Fri 12 Nov 10

icannotrace says...

tpreece01 wrote:
Right, let's all go round to Viv and useyourhead's house in the morning and wake them up at stupid o'clock. I bet they won't complain!
It's early admittedly to start with a chain saw but I would hardly call 5:40am "stupid o'clock". What time do you start work?
.
As for....
.
“At these times of economic hardship and cutbacks, do we really need all that?”
.
What's she going on about. Please explain.
.
Also love the video. Although it's not really Speilberg stuff is it?
[quote][p][bold]tpreece01[/bold] wrote: Right, let's all go round to Viv and useyourhead's house in the morning and wake them up at stupid o'clock. I bet they won't complain![/p][/quote]It's early admittedly to start with a chain saw but I would hardly call 5:40am "stupid o'clock". What time do you start work? . As for.... . “At these times of economic hardship and cutbacks, do we really need all that?” . What's she going on about. Please explain. . Also love the video. Although it's not really Speilberg stuff is it? icannotrace

11:39pm Fri 12 Nov 10

Ess says...

She added: “We’ve lived here for eight years and never had this before.

So once in 8 years isn't really all that bad is it... get a grip woman!
She added: “We’ve lived here for eight years and never had this before. So once in 8 years isn't really all that bad is it... get a grip woman! Ess

11:44pm Fri 12 Nov 10

useyourhead says...

tpreece01 wrote:
Right, let's all go round to Viv and useyourhead's house in the morning and wake them up at stupid o'clock. I bet they won't complain!
I shall let you decide what is stupid o'clock ;)
[quote][p][bold]tpreece01[/bold] wrote: Right, let's all go round to Viv and useyourhead's house in the morning and wake them up at stupid o'clock. I bet they won't complain![/p][/quote]I shall let you decide what is stupid o'clock ;) useyourhead

1:03pm Sat 13 Nov 10

CapitaBackHander says...

Obviously it is wrong, if I did the same the council would be trying to prosecute.
Obviously it is wrong, if I did the same the council would be trying to prosecute. CapitaBackHander

10:11pm Sat 13 Nov 10

Darwenbert says...

she should have phoned special branch
she should have phoned special branch Darwenbert

7:26pm Sat 4 Dec 10

mr cameron says...

stop moaning you residents, just be grateful these men were willing to put it up so early in the morning, welcome to the real world, im up at 4.0 clock every morning for work
stop moaning you residents, just be grateful these men were willing to put it up so early in the morning, welcome to the real world, im up at 4.0 clock every morning for work mr cameron

Comments are closed on this article.

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