A 58 year old geography teacher who was hit by a falling tree branch as she walked along a public footpath two years ago, is now launching a claim for £30,000 against the Environment Agency for neglecting to carry out proper safety checks on land that is used by the public.

Doreen Prior, who lives near Lewes in East Sussex, claims that if the tree in question had been properly checked, it would have been quickly realised that it was in a poor condition and would have been dealt with before it could cause any damage. As it was, the offending tree branch only gave Ms Prior a cut to the head, but the long-term effects have been much more damaging.

Ms Prior now suffers from tiredness and an impaired memory, as well as finding it difficult to plan, organise and multitask.

Subsequently, she has been unable to return to work as a teacher and has had to continually rely on friends and family to support her. Without any income she worries that she may now be at risk of losing her home.

Should she ever be able to return to work in the future, she also worries that her condition would prevent her from finding a job anyway. Ms Prior expressed a concern that as the footpath was used by a lot of families the branch could quite easily have fallen on a child.

Currently the Environment Agency have denied liability but are reviewing the case with their solicitors.