A councillor has apologised after workers and police swooped on a city street during the dead of night and controversially cut down seven trees.

Sheffield City Council's Bryan Lodge said sorry for the disruption and distress caused during the "dawn raid" - which saw two pensioners arrested.

A 35-year-old man was also apprehended after helping form a human chain around the tree on November 17.

Angry Rustlings Road residents complained they were woken at the crack of dawn by the tree felling contractors and a large police presence.

And former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said the decision to swoop at 5am was more akin to a well-planned anti-terror raid than a morning of tree felling.

Mr Lodge admitted that the council had "got it wrong" last week.

Among the complaints were that residents were awoken by officers banging on their doors and demanding cars were moved immediately.

In a statement, Mr Lodge said: "We would like to offer an apology to the people of Sheffield who were affected by the way in which we took the trees down on Thursday of last week, and particularly those living on Rustlings Road, who will also receive an apology in the post.

"We are sorry for the disruption and distress caused by the work starting at 5am and the decision not to publish the Tree Panel report in advance.

"There were reasons relating to public safety why the decision was taken to fell the trees at 5am and not to publish the report earlier but we have heard the message loud and clear that this was not the acceptable course of action".

Mr Lodge also assured residents in his statement that work would not start again before 7am.

The teams of tree surgeons aimed to cut down eight trees last week and managed to fell seven.

The operation and resulting protest is the latest drama in a long-running dispute over the plan by the council and Amey to fell trees across the city, which has gone all the way to the High Court.

Council bosses say the programme is essential if Sheffield's 36,000 street trees are to be managed for future generations and that the trees scheduled for felling are dying or diseased, or pose dangers.

The three people arrested have been summoned to appear in court at a later date for preventing the lawful carrying out of work.