TWO schoolchildren escaped serious injury when the climbing frame they normally play on was crushed by a tree felled in a neighbouring wood.

Their father, Rodney Grubb, of Foxholes Lane, Callow Hill, was furious after the tree which was being felled by council-contracted workers came crashing into his garden where he was working.

He was left badly shaken and sought medical attention after the accident on Thursday afternoon, when he was hit by a branch which crushed his children's climbing frame and swing and smashed through the roof of the garden shed.

But the 41-year-old said his worse fear was had it happened any later, his children would have been playing on the swing and frame.

He said he was trimming and working down towards the bottom of the garden when without any warning the tree, believed to be 40ft high, came down into the garden, hitting him.

Mr Grubb said: "The first thing my children do when they get home from school is go and play in the garden.

"The tree trunk was about 8-10ins in diameter and with the speed it was coming down, if the kids has been underneath they would not have stood a chance."

A spokesman for Redditch Council, said: "We are very sorry to hear about this unfortunate incident and we are now carrying out a detailed investigation to find out why the tree fell across a garden.

"We have also been working with the residents concerned to offer checks, repair any damage and put things back as they were as soon as possible.

"We have been working with this particular contractors for more than 10 years and they have previously a very good track record."