At first glance, not deadly nightshade, not sure what they are, the berries certainly resemble those produced by some Cornus varieties - do you know if this shrub/tree is evergreen or not? Are you sure the berries are actually attached to the shrub, and not from a twining climber that's wound itself around and about?

It looks like some species of Prunus to me....Maybe P. lusitanica?

Highly possible, that's why I asked if it was evergreen, Tug

Oops! Someday me learn how read, Bamboo! :}

Ha, ha, don't worry about it - I wanted also to make sure it wasn't one of the nightshades scrambling up through the foliage, but to be honest, the berry arrangement isn't right for nightshade...

Deadly nightshade is a shrub not a tree and its leaves are ribbed and not shiny. It looks like a cherry laurel though, which also has poisonous berries.

As we've said before Gizanti, many many plants and flowers are poisonous, you have to keep an eye on the little children and teach them what not to eat. I'm sure all our parents did the same with us.

I learned early that oleanders were "icky", and cacti were "owie"! :)

Laurel?

Well, sort of Arbuthnot, although that term applies to several different plants. Most likely Prunus lusitanica, (if its evergreen) as Tugbrethil already said, common name Portugal Laurel, and, as such, the berries on this variety are not poisonous unless eaten when unripe, although they're not at all tasty. The leaves release cyanide if burned or crushed though...

Please could you tell me how you can tell its Portuguese rather than cherry? Its hard to see the difference from the photo

The port.laurel has bigger flat green leaves, not so pointy as the leaves in your photo. I've read that it's the seeds inside the berries that are poisoners & not the black flesh. Either way you have to teach children not to eat stuff & not mollycoddle them.

Feverfew, you might be thinking about P. laurocerasus.

The leaves are quite different, Steragram - those on Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) are thicker, shiny, and noticeably veined, without the slight sort of waviness at the edges you can see in the pic above (see pic below)

www.lightscapes.info/onewithnature/natures-garden/trees/cherry-laurel-prunus-laurocerasus/cherry-laurel-prunus-laurocerasus-leaf/

And the Portugal laurel here for contrast and compare

http://www.ryansnurseries.ie/plants?page=shop.product_details&flypage=store.tpl&product_id=74&category_id=5

Yes Tb, I was thinking of that. Got a bit mixed up!

Thank you Bamboo, I see what you mean. Come to think of it we had a Portugal laurel some years ago and the leaf stems were usually red rather than green - another difference. Looking again you can just about see one or two reddish stems.