A council said it gave permission for work to be carried out on a tree just days before it crashed into two homes near the city.

Two children were left with minor injuries after the oak tree fell on to the properties on Hansell Road, in Thorpe St Andrew, on Sunday.

It smashed the extension of one house and damaged the guttering and garden of another.

Terry Phillips was in his back garden with his grandchildren when the tree came crashing down.

He said he had made numerous complaints about the state of the trees along the Loke, which is between Hansell Road and South Hill Road. But Broadland District Council said it only received an application for work on that particular tree at the end of last month.

A spokesperson explained: 'We received a tree work application from the owner on [Friday], July 29 and that was granted on [Monday], August 1. We understand a contractor was appointed by the tree owner, and they had gone to get a cherry picker, which was booked in for this week.'

It was one of 1,200 trees in Broadland given a Tree Protection Order (TPO) as it was said to contribute to the 'character of the landscape'. The TPO requires any owner to seek permission from the local authority before work can be carried out.

Mr Phillips said more should have been done while the contractors were away. 'I have written to them several times about the condition of trees on the Loke, but we are so frustrated because we can't get anywhere,' he added. 'From a health and safety aspect more should have been done to secure the area.'

The tree works application from the owner explains the tree had rot and was 'unsafe'.

Two children suffered cuts and scratches from shattered glass caused by the fallen tree.