The collapse of part of a prominent tree in Plymouth city centre sent shoppers rushing to safety. The city council said the Tree of Heaven in New George Street off Armada Way was last inspected in July, but it would now be removed. "We now believe the tree has sustained too much damage," a spokesperson said, after the incident at about 11:00 BST on Tuesday.
"Like most trees up and down the country, it will have been suffering from heat stress due to the ongoing high temperatures we are experiencing," the spokesperson said.
Milad Mettrey, who runs the Fabulous Falafel food stand close to the tree, said: "I heard a noise like a gun." He said he moved his customers away and "people went very fast" to move to safety. His gazebo, table and chairs were damaged in the incident.
A city council spokesperson said when the tree was inspected, "no issues were identified other than the need to prune its crown". A large branch "split from the rest of the tree rather suddenly".
The council said it was trying to adapt its long-term planting plans to take the impact of climate change into consideration. It said it was using storage tanks to capture rainwater for the trees and plants it has added to Armada Way this year.
"These changes take time to implement but are at the forefront of our thinking."
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Heat Stress Blamed in Plymouth Tree Branch Collapse