I used to climb the Chalkwell Park tree - locals have been worried about it for years

I grew up in nearby Leigh-on-Sea, just 10 minutes away. We spent long summer days there – climbing trees, riding scooters, or hanging out by the skate park.

But this weekend, the park made headlines for the worst possible reason.

A seven-year-old girl was crushed to death by a falling tree. Several other children were injured. Dozens of locals ran to help.

When I heard which tree it was, I wasn’t surprised.

It was the cedar tree - the huge one, near the basketball courts and the gallery. It dates back to the 1850s, and for as long as I can remember, it’s been propped up by metal poles.

That was never a real solution.

You can’t keep a tree upright forever with scaffolding. This was a massive, ancient tree, supported by a few bits of metal. It was straining under its own weight.

And yet it was never cordoned off. Children loved climbing it - I tried many times myself, usually getting nowhere. It was a landmark, a meeting spot, part of the backdrop of local life.

Kids will always find a tree to climb. It’s the job of grown-ups to make sure the tree won’t fall.

Southend isn’t a big city and when something like this happens, we all feel it. The whole community is devastated. Everyone’s thinking of the little girl’s family.

But they’re also asking questions. Anne Bell told the Daily Mail that the council “need to start maintaining all trees around Southend.” Steven Nesh said the cedar “was too big to support its own weight.”

They’re right. And they’ve been saying it for years.

Now, hundreds of sunflowers have been laid at the base of the fallen tree – a heartbreaking symbol of a tragedy that should never have happened.

This can’t be allowed to happen again. Councils across the country must urgently review the safety of ageing trees in parks and playgrounds.

No parent should take their child to a park and not bring them home.

Now it's the job of the authorities to make sure this never happens again.

________________

LBC Opinion provides a platform for diverse opinions on current affairs and matters of public interest.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official LBC position.

To contact us email opinion@lbc.co.uk