A SCHOOL for children with special educational needs has applied to cut down some holly trees after a pupil went to A&E after eating berries.

Montacute School has pupils with ‘complex learning difficulties and disabilities’ as well as ‘many non-neurotypical’ students.

A treework application submitted to BCP Council said: “An incident has occurred recently whereby a pupil ingested holly berries from a tree located within the school grounds.

“The school nurse called the poisons advice line for healthcare professionals who recommended that the pupil go directly to A&E as they had a reaction in the form of a rash.

“Thankfully the child has recovered, but in order to prevent this from happening again the school would like to take action to mitigate the problem.”

The applicant stressed that ‘other options could be looked at under different circumstances’ but that it has been advised that ‘the problem should be removed entirely’.

As such, the school wants to remove six or seven holly trees with berries, and one young yew tree.

It would also like to receive approval to remove any holly trees that begin to produce berries.

The school would look to replant other trees in place of the hollies, ‘for the benefit of the pupils who use it as a woodland school/outdoor area and also for the amenity of the wider area’.

The application concluded: “As this is a matter of safety for the pupils the school would value expediency in receiving a response.”