World Cup star ordered to trim oak in his garden ahead of tonight's ... trends now
England star Declan Rice has had two oak trees in his garden cut back – after a neighbour called Mr Green claimed that one of them was filling his gutters with acorns.
Council officials had to give permission for the pruning as both the oaks in the grounds of the 23-year-old midfielder’s £2.6m mansion are protected by Tree Preservation Orders.
Rice who has so far played in all of England’s matches at the World Cup in Qatar did not object to his neighbour Alan Green’s request for the work to be done.
Mr Green, 83, applied to cut back two or three branches of one tree overhanging his garden by up to 9ft, and for a ‘large lateral branch’ to be cut back on a second oak.
West Ham mainstay Declan Rice started in all four of England's World Cup fixtures in Qatar
Neighbour Alan Green shares a garden border with the West Ham defensive midfielder
Alan Green applied to the council after the branches from a protected oak tree spilled over
Mr Rice played for the Republic of Ireland until 2018, joining England's National Team in 2019
A tree surgeon who submitted the application on Mr Green’s behalf estimated that the work would cost £400 plus VAT.
The surgeon also submitted a further quote to remove a branch of a Scots pine in the pensioner’s garden at a cost of £160 plus VAT.
It is not known whether West Ham captain Rice contributed to the cost of the work on the two trees which stand at the end of his 0.7 acre garden near Reigate, Surrey.
The application was approved by Reigate and Banstead Borough Council in September, more than two months before the player flew to Qatar with the Three Lions squad.
Planning documents visible on the council’s website inadvertently name the footballer’s father Sean Rice as the owner of his luxury six bedroom home.
But Land Registry records confirm that the property is owned by Declan Rice who played for the Republic of Ireland before switching to England in 2019.
A view of the player's expansive garden about an hour away from West Ham's training grounds
West Ham midfielder Mr Rice pictured training with England on Match Day 1 of the World Cup
Declan Rice (L) pictured with former England and Manchester United player David Beckham
Mr Green said he had never chatted to his famous neighbour who had a baby son Jude in August with his childhood sweetheart Lauren Fryer.
Describing the overhanging branches, Mr Green said: ‘It wasn’t a problem, I just needed them trimmed.
‘The branch from next door was overhanging the roof of my house. And as they are oak trees, particularly at this time of the year when they shed their acorns and their leaves, they block all the guttering.
‘The problem is then with it all being overflowing when it rains, and as you know we do have some heavy rain from time to time.
‘So that was what the problem was. Just over the autumn period, really - but it’s been a growing problem over time, it’s been getting more and more.
‘I went through the function of going to the local authority, to the tree department.
‘And then somebody came and inspected it and they said, “Yes they needed to cut that back”, so I got approval.
‘Then they engaged a tree specialist to cut it back.
‘I haven’t had a problem with my neighbours. I don’t know them - I have never spoken to them personally.
‘I don’t know why I
