Bank of England branches

• New Bank of England chairman moves into luxury London home
• Residents in quiet residential street complain about parking suspension
• Mr Carney's wife Diana has complained it has been hard to find a house on her husband's £874, 000 salary and £5, 000 a month living allowance

But new Bank of England boss Mark Carney has caused some cutbacks sooner than planned – after removal men knocked down a huge tree branch while moving him into his luxury London home.

The entire street was sealed off and police and fire crews were called out after a giant container truck containing the new governor’s belongings smashed into the tree.

Mark Carnage! The tree is dealt with after the container truck did its damage

Neighbourhood watch: Mr Carney meets one of the residents of the London street where people have complained about the £1, 300 suspension of six parking bays to make way for removal vans

The large branch was left hanging precariously over the road and traffic was banned until the area was made safe.

A witness said: ‘It was a huge removal truck – a shipping container. It squeezed out of the street between cars and there was a large crack as it whacked into a large, overhanging branch. I don’t think the driver even knew he had hit the tree, and just continued.’

DIY: Mark Carney helped the removal men, doing coffee runs and hauling boxes

But Mr Carney, 48, looked relaxed in casual trousers and a polo shirt as he kept an eye on the removal men. He carried in a chopping board and fetched the movers coffee from a cafe.

The Canadian and wife Diana must have been hoping to keep a low profile, but their clumsy arrival caused chaos in the residential neighbourhood in London. Mr Carney had already angered residents by arranging for the suspension of as many as six parking bays in the street – at a total cost of £1, 300 – to make way for his convoy of removal vehicles.

Some residents were unable to even get into their driveways because of the trucks.

Neighbour Vivianne Avidan said: ‘I am surprised the council allowed so many bays to be taken out for so long. Maybe it is diplomatic, special privileges.’

Earlier this year, Mrs Carney suggested on Twitter that the couple were struggling to find a London home they could afford – despite her husband’s £874, 000 salary which includes a £5, 000 a month housing allowance. The couple have rented the property.

A spokesman for the local council said: ‘We left the tree in a safe condition. There is no compensation sought.’