COURT Fields School, Wellington, this week defended carrying out work on damaged trees during the bird nesting season.

The school said the work was urgent and could not be left until the autumn because of the risk to pupils who would have returned for the new term.

Concern over the timing of the extensive tree work at the school was raised with town councillors by a neighbour.

The school’s premises manager Julie Wooler said: “We only fell or prune trees where they present a health and safety risk to our students, staff, visitors, and neighbours.

“Following our most recent survey a number of trees were identified for urgent maintenance work.”

She said the Castle Partnership Trust, of which the school is a member, used an approved contractor which worked closely with the local council tree protection officer.

“Our contractor checks each tree for nesting birds,” she said. “In addition, leaving this work until September would pose a health and safety risk to our staff and students and the noise would disrupt our students’ learning.”