Outcry as rail workers cut down trees at 1am

People who live Fairfield Gardens, in Elsecar, near Barnsley, had a wooded area between their gardens and the railway until the weekend, when Network Rail workers moved in during the night.

They claim that now the trees have been chopped down, people travelling on trains can look straight into their homes and gardens and called on the company to explain its actions.

Emma Hebdige, a 30-year-old account manager, said she and her husband were shocked when they heard the sound of chainsaws in the early hours of Sunday morning and saw a masked worker "hacking away".

She added: "We have lived here for four years, and every year Network Rail have told us that they would tidy up the undergrowth next to the track. We were just expecting a general prune back."

Mrs Hebdige said she and her neighbours were angry and said she wanted to know why Network Rail had not consulted its neighbours over the plans.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "Train operators reported issues to us caused by falling leaves creating the equivalent of black ice on the rails – making driving and braking hazardous.

We have to manage vegetation at the line side to prevent serious problems which can be experienced in autumn, and to make sure that drivers have a clear view of the signals."