A dad was killed while walking his dog after a tree fell on him and a council fined £500,000.

Chris Hall, 48, was hit by a tree tongue while walking his cocker spaniel, Benson, in The Carrs Forest in Wilmslow on 28 August 2020.

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His heartbroken wife Fiona read a victim impact statement in court.

She said: “His death was totally senseless and completely avoidable,

“We were just walking our dog on a hot, dry summer day.

“His loss is colossal; his absence is immense and leaves a void that can never be filled.”

Another large “limb” had fallen from the same tree just 11 months before Chris’ death.

It was reported to Cheshire East Council and their field services contractor, Ansa Environmental Services Ltd.

But Chester Magistrates’ Court heard no action was taken apart from a visual inspection by Ansa.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecutor Matt Reynolds told the court there were “significant” structural problems with the shaft.

The HSE investigation concluded that a proper risk assessment of the tree was not carried out to see if it posed a danger to the public.

They found the council had not put enough in place, despite Ansa officials raising concerns about the health of the trees.

At an earlier hearing, both the local authority and Ansa admitted breaching section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act by exposing the public to risk.