Some residents have backed a developer who chopped down more than 50 trees hours before they could be saved by a preservation order.

People living along Harrogate Road and other nearby streets bordering The Drive at Greengates have sent a 27-name petition to Bradford Council supporting Ilkley developer John Tate who felled the green oasis surrounding an unlived-in villa.

Earlier this week, the Telegraph & Argus reported how some neighbours in The Drive were furious the mature trees, some up to 50ft high, had been axed and that their two-year rescue campaign to get a preservation order on them had failed.

Despite their frantic calls to the Council alerting them that felling was taking place, only two trees were left standing by the time officials arrived with a preservation order.

However, another group of residents has come forward to say how their lives had been changed for the better now the trees, some of which they claimed were diseased and rotten, had gone.

They said many of them have lived for decades in fear of the massive trees falling on and crushing their homes and that deep roots were damaging their properties' foundations.

They also claimed the overshadowing trees had cost them a fortune in electricity, had made it difficult for anything to grow in their gardens, sit out, or to hang any washing out to dry - and that they had attracted flies and pesky wildlife, including squirrels and even foxes, who had killed family pets.

Resident Anne Bennett, 75, said since the trees were cleared she had been able to see the first sunset from her back garden in 30 years, and her husband Douglas told how Yorkshire Water had found tangled tree roots growing in their toilet drains.

Tina Hoyland said: "I'm saving masses of money now I can put my washing out to dry and am looking forward to seeing things grow in my garden again, there's still plenty of places round here for the wildlife to come and live."

But the saga continues for Mr Howker and Mr Bennett whose privately-owned gardens were also covered by the tree preservation order, making it illegal for them to chop their trees and they believed flowering bushes.

The two have sent recorded delivery letters to the Council asking for the order to be lifted.

"We don't want to be told what we can and can't do in our own gardens. We want the order lifted and we want those other two trees down too," said Mr Howker.

Developer John Tate said he had just "played the game by the rules" and that those rules were set by the council.

"There is no consultation when it comes to tree preservation orders, the minute people notify the council of trees coming down, orders are imposed. That's how it works. Those are the Council's rules of engagement - not mine."

Mr Tate added he is about to put in a planning application to build seven new homes on the land: "It's going to be a better situation, bringing more light to nearby properties and a better quality of neighbour than a grotty, rundown house. We haven't decided anything about planting any new trees or landscaping yet."

A Bradford Council spokesman said: "A Tree Protection Order (TPO) was issued on all the trees in the area and we will be going back to review them and decide which should remain protected. The TPO only applies to trees, not shrubs but if residents want to carry out some work to the trees they can apply to the Council for permission."