A woman who is ‘severely allergic’ to a tree in her front garden has been told by the council that she can’t cut it down.
Rachna Anderson, 41, says she has developed a painful allergy to a Scots pine tree in front of her home in Easton, Norwich.
She claims it leaves her with excruciating burning, redness and swelling to the face and has made her scared to come home.
Despite undergoing extensive medical testing and treatments over the last two years, doctors have not been able to identify any other allergies that might be responsible and her symptoms have only worsened.
Rachna is convinced the tree is the cause, but because the tree is legally protected, she has to apply for permission to chop it down.
Officials from South Norfolk Council told her this is unlikely to be granted.
She said: ‘I am forced to sit in front of fans, enduring the freezing cold to alleviate the burning sensation on my face. My face often feels like it is on fire, turns bright red and becomes unbearably swollen.
‘These symptoms are so severe that I feel trapped in my home, embarrassed to go out and riddled with anxiety. I have no social life and I can’t make eye contact with people. When I am able to go on holiday I am scared to come home.’
Rachna moved into her property with her husband and young daughter in 2022, and began to notice the unusual symptoms after just a few months.
While they were mild to begin with, her condition has worsened over time and she now suffers severe eye irritation, a swollen face and ‘burning’ everyday.
She also says the severity of these symptoms has necessitated two anaphylactic emergency interventions, requiring multiple courses of steroids to manage.
She has been tested for various food allergies and even had a skin biopsy taken in an effort to identify the cause of her reaction – all to no avail.
Rachna now believes the issue stems from a Scots pine tree in her front garden – a species known to cause reactions in some people – that is protected from being felled by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO).
This suspicion has been reinforced by trips to different cities and countries, during which Rachna says her symptoms disappeared within hours of leaving her home.
Rachna has now submitted an official planning application to South Norfolk Council to obtain permission to cut down the tree.
As she waits for a response, she’s become frustrated by a lack of help from the council, believing she should be reimbursed for her rent or offered a new place if her request is denied.
She said: ‘This tree is causing severe health issues that have drastically impacted my life, yet my repeated requests to the council for its removal have been disregarded. I have provided the council with substantial evidence, including medical records and photographic documentation, yet no action has been taken.
‘My family and I deserve a safe and healthy living environment, but this tree has made it impossible to achieve that. Despite my persistent efforts, the council has not been supportive and I feel abandoned in this critical health crisis.’
A spokesman for South Norfolk Council said: ‘The council has visited the site and had discussions with Mrs Anderson. We understand that Mrs Anderson believes that she is allergic to the tree and that this is being investigated.
‘The council has agreed to hold off making a decision until Mrs Anderson has the results of those investigations.’
Rachna has garnered the support of South Norfolk MP Ben Goldsborough, who has offered to ‘advocate’ for her in front of the council’s planning committee.
If her request is denied, Rachna said she might emigrate to Australia, but she’s reluctant to leave her home after investing more than £30,000 in upgrades including an improved driveway and solar panels.
Rachna said: ‘I can’t live with this. I want my life back.’
The planning application to remove the Scots pine remains under consideration and will be determined by South Norfolk Council in the near future.
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