My estimate of 14 trees to be felled for the Cuckoo Corner scheme was wrong.

Sorry, but the official figure is 16.

The first four on the north side of Priory Crescent and all 12 between the roundabout and the bus lay-by on the south will all go.

Last Friday, a Southend Council officer, albeit neither a tree nor a traffic expert, took me along the row of trees and explained that, for various reasons, almost all of them are due for removal anyway.

What an utterly amazing coincidence.

The very trees set to be destroyed are found to be stunted, overgrown or diseased.

On Sunday I asked a tree expert who does not work for the council to take a look, and his opinion was very different.

He told me that, apart from two that need closer inspection, these trees would decorate the crescent for many, many years to come.

Sadly, we will never know who is right or wrong because all 16 trees will be destroyed in June.

Rik Morgan
Hobleythick Lane
Westcliff