ANGRY families claim hanging trees could cause serious injury or even death after new land owners have let it fall into disrepair.

The trees, on land at the junction with Marine Parade and Beck Road, Canvey, is owned by a company who purchased it from Essex County Council in 2013.

Michael Bering, 67, of Marine Parade, said the trees are about 50 foot tall and dangerous as they are leaning over Beck Road and are also making the road look untidy.

He said: “We live in a semi-detached house on the corner of the junction and the land would have been our front garden.

“We asked to buy the land but we were not given the chance.

“As we have been using the land for years we thought we would have been given first refusal.

“We had paid the council to use the land but when it was sold off we didn’t get any information or anything at all.

“I only found out by accident that the land was sold.

“We have been doing some maintenance on the land including cutting the grass and hedges because our home over looks the land and it looks such a mess.

“We are annoyed about having to keep the land tidy.

“I think that the new owners should be responsible for keeping the land tidy and clean.

“I also believe Essex County Council should be putting pressure on the owners to tidy and maintain the land.”

Mr Bering said that the mess is ruining the look of the area as he keeps his land looking nice.

Ray Howard, Tory councillor for Canvey West, said he sympathises with the residents.

He said: “There used to be some order which could be imposed on a land wner clean up their land.

“When the land was sold I wanted the residents to have the land as they would have kept it maintained.

“I am happy to take up the case for the residents.”

The Echo made various attempts to find the owner of the land.

A spokesman for Essex County Council: “We’re investigating the land ownership which means we have to go back through our archives to check the particulars relating to the sale.

“If there was a duty or responsibility for the upkeep of the land when it was passed to the new owner which is not being observed, then we can look at further action.”