PEOPLE can contact Kirklees Council foresters about fallen trees - but only if they are blocking roads or have come down on council-owned land.

The council's Forestry Unit had a hectic day when gales brought trees down across Kirklees on Thursday.

But officials say that if trees fall from private land on to roads they will charge the landowner for the work to shift them and that bill could run into many hundreds of pounds.

Steve Palmer, the unit's contract manager, said: "Our job is to deal with council-owned trees or trees blocking highways.

"If private trees fall on to roads and we have to cut them up and move them we will charge for the work.

"These can be big jobs and the bill can be several hundred pounds."

Mr Palmer said Thursday was an exceptionally busy day.

He said: "It was windy over both Christmas and the new year, yet we had only three call-outs to fallen trees. But on Thursday we had about 15 call-outs across Kirklees.

"It was the worst day we have had in quite a while.

"The main problem could be the rain in recent weeks, which has softened the ground, making the trees more likely to topple."

Two forestry teams, totalling eight people, were out dealing with fallen trees from 2.30am on Thursday morning to 9.30pm on Thursday night.

"We had more than 10 trees down across Kirklees," said Mr Palmer.

"Some were blocking roads, others fell on private land and one was brought down in school grounds," he added.

The only substantial damage was done when a tree fell on 53-year-old textile engineer Michael White's house on Thong Lane in Thongsbridge, badly damaging a roof and gable wall.

Other incidents included a chestnut tree falling in Rectory Park, Thornhill.

Another tree brought down power lines at Island View, also in Thornhill.

People wanting to report fallen trees on highways or council-owned land can phone a 24-hour number, 0800 731 8765.