Dad was 'amazing man who died a senseless death'

A man was killed by a branch that fell from a tree which council bosses had failed to make safe after a previous incident.

Christopher Hall, 48, died while he was walking his dog in The Carrs in Wilmslow, Greater Manchester, on 28 August 2020.

Cheshire East Council had failed to investigate when a large branch had fallen from the tree a year before, a court heard.

The authority has been fined £500,000 over the death of Mr Hall, who was described by his family as "the most amazing man".

Both the council and its grounds maintenance firm Ansa were sentenced at Chester Magistrates Court earlier for breaches of the Health and Safety At Work Act, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said.

In a victim personal statement, Mr Hall's wife Fiona said her husband "loved life and life loved him".

"Seeing his face, you will get a sense of who Chris was, what he meant to those around him and what we have lost," she said.

"His image serves not only as a tribute to the most amazing man but also a focal point and brutal reminder of why seeking justice matters so very deeply.

"Chris loved life and life loved him. His death was utterly senseless and wholly avoidable.

"He was simply walking our dog on a dry, warm, summer’s day.

"His loss is colossal, his absence is immense and he leaves a void that can never be filled."

An investigation by the HSE found a large limb had fallen from the tree in September 2019.

But no investigation was carried out to see whether the tree posed a future risk.

Mr Hall's son Sam said the last four years had been "a long, painful trail - a path we never wanted to be on".

He added: "Losing dad was losing my life and strength. I miss every little piece of him – his laughter, wisdom, and adventures we shared.

"Our travels ignited a passion in me, but now every journey feels bittersweet without him."

HSE inspector Lorna Sherlock said: "This was an utterly tragic event that has caused the death of a much-loved husband and father.

"Had this public area been better managed, this death might have been avoided. No lessons were learned from the limb falling off the tree less than a year before.

"Cheshire East Council had not adopted a formal overarching tree strategy to manage the risks from trees in public places since it was formed in 2009.

"There was no overarching, consistent risk identification process leading to zoning of trees in all frequently accessed public areas.

"Fiona and the family have shown great courage and fortitude throughout their ordeal."

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