In message .com, alan
writes

Hi Mike
I will take your advice and play it by ear.
I thought pruning it right back might do the trick and see what happens
but im no authority on trees or should I just call it a day and get
rid and plant another type of tree.
Alan

From our experience and from what everyone has to say, the bacterial
canker or whatever it is may well be terminal. On the other hand, the
one we finally lost (a 35+ year-old) did survive for some years looking
ill while in leaf but it blossomed wonderfully right up to its final
year, where it gave its all and died immediately afterwards - so your
problem may be something different. I would go with Mike's sound advice.

--
Klara, Gatwick basin