sorry about the picture I did move it upright but it seams to have put itself back but you get the picture . the trees by the way are very healthy looking .

its winter don't worry, I don't know my science to well but the only way the fungus can decompose dead matter is if the conditions are warm and wet.

Hi NP what sort of fungi did you have round the tree when it was there?

erm it wasn't like a mushroom it was like half circle/moon shapes on there side with a brown top and a very pale under side if that helps mg . thanx wl I know the living part is under ground and what you see is it reproducing .

Do you think it is a Honey fungus NP?

Hi Leigh, it souns like bracket fungus, which eats away the heart wood of standing trees, which could fall at any time, the fruiting bodies can be seen in spring, summer, and autumn, then disappear, I would inform whoever owns the trees, what you have seen.
By the way, an easy way to measure the height of a tree, is to get a pencil, and a friend, stand far enough away from the tree, so that when you hold the pencil out at arms length, you can get the whole of the tree, looking the same length as the pencil, get your friend to stan at the base of the tree, keeping the bottom of the pencil in line with the base of the tree, lower the pencil to horizontal, then get your friend to walk out to where the top of the pencil met the ground, an stand still, then measure from the base of the tree, to where your friend is standing, that measurement is the height of the tree, Derek.

hmmm I don't know botanic but I have seen this kind of shape on the side of trees and people taking it to eat . I don't know if its the same type but definatly similer shape . thanx for that Derek good idea apart from how inclosed these trees are on my estate . it would be difficult to do that without risking getting run over . if it did fall there is only a road width wear it wouldn't hit a house . any wear else its so tall the house hit would get the full weight of these huge beautiful trees . I live near a road called kims belt relating to a belt of trees that are near me . they have adult beech,pine and oak and these 2 are way taller . id say there 200 feet tall and must way tons and tons so im going to take your advice Derek how ever much I love them .

I agree with Derek bracket fungus which eats away the heart wood. Very sad for you that they will have to go but you can't risk a tree of that size landing on the house as you'd have no house left!

Some of those are edible and some aren't - sadly more of the later than the former but that's life!

your right but its not nice but I guess the trees times up . maybe its only one hopefully . ive seen people collecting it sg .

If you think it's over 200 ft tall then your should be phoning the Guiness Book of Records, because the tallest tree in the UK is 211ft. (That was in 2011)
Personally, it looks to be about 70 ft tall to me but that's only a calculation based on the the things around it in the photo.

Looks like taking those two trees out would send the " council's " yearly budget crashing down from the contractors bill. From the USA point of view (forgive, it's the only one I have in this consideration) the only way those trees would be removed would be either at your own expense after obtaining the proper allowances ( good luck) or at their expense only if a committee member's family were standing right under the tree while Bucky Beaver was gnawing away at its base.

your probably right urbanite but believe me there way taller than 3 times the hight of a house roof . honestly its not me just arguing . I live in the middle of thetford which is the biggest man made forest in England and there are many poplers on the fens too stop them losing there topsoil . kimms belt trees are fully grown old beech trees were built round nearly 60 years ago when they were already aprox this hight . these are some wear in the 70-100 foot range but the poplers are I think the tallest trees ive seen personally . ive just never thought about it before now . maybe there 125 - 150 but none the less they will reach any house around them with there full weight and I can only guess at that but I know its a lot .these trees throw up roots the size of footballs and suckers right near my house and there behind me in the photo . I will look up there adult size and get back just out of interest .ow I wont have to pay to lose these trees ls its going to be more the yearly budget answer you gave as they are there trees and its there land and are resposnsable .
The genus has a large genetic diversity, and can grow from anywhere between 15–50 m (49–164 ft) tall, with trunks of up to 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) diameter.

@Loosestrife2

Councils in the UK seem to actively encourage the removal of trees in urban area, esp if tall. Councils have their own parks departments who deal with all land management. If it was private property then it is 100% for the landowner to deal with unless it is deemed dangerous and the council cuts it down and then bills the owner!

yes botanic . these trees are definatly 10 feet around so they are very tall . I love them .