Residents living near the former St Mary's School in Riddlesden claim two trees have been unnecessarily cut down after Bradford council took nearly three months to impose preservation orders.

Two trees were cut down just moments before the Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) came into effect.

Horrified neighbours believe the trees could have been saved if the council had acted more quickly.

Nearby resident Ken Harker wrote to the council in June asking for the TPOs to be enforced and was told the site would be inspected in due course.

But on Tuesday of last week when tree surgeons arrived at the site, which is earmarked for housing, the TPOs were still not in place.

Residents who heard the buzz of the chainsaws rushed to stop the workmen and called the police to oversee the dispute.

Concerned resident Graham Kemp said: "We know there are trees on that site which are protected, one of which has just been chopped down by the tree surgeon. They've downed tools now because we've stopped them."

Brian Verity, managing director of Skipton Properties which owns the site, arrived and agreed to meet the residents to discuss their concerns.

Despite another tree being chopped down that morning, the residents claim to have resolved the situation amicably, but say Bradford council's lack of action led to the destruction of two trees.

Mr Kemp says: "Brian Verity has stuck by his word and he is only removing the trees we saw being brought down. The question we now have to ask is why did it take so long for Bradford council to act?

"If the TPO was in when it should have been in we wouldn't have been in these circumstances."

A Bradford council spokesman confirms that the TPOs were enforced on Tuesday morning after the site inspection.

The spokesman says the order took nearly three months to execute because the small, two-man department had to inspect the site and fully process the request. He adds that because of summer holidays the work may have been further delayed.

Councillor Anne Hawksworth, the council's leader and executive member for the environment, says: "I'm very disappointed there wasn't a quicker reaction and the management of TPOs and the prioritising of TPOs will be looked into.

"The whole of the set up needs sharpening up."

Mr Verity said last Wednesday he was unaware of the impending tree preservation orders and added: "We were acting within the scope of the law and we have had meaningful discussions with the residents who are by and large happy with the outcome."

Skipton Properties' plans for the Riddlesden school site include a cul-de-sac off Banks Lane with eight houses, and five new houses facing on to St Mary's Road.