Ancient oak named after a band is UK Tree of the Year

The Skipinnish oak is on Lochaber's Achnacarry Estate

A tree in the Scottish Highlands known as the Skipinnish Oak has been named UK Tree of the Year.

Native woodland experts had no idea the tree existed until a gathering in 2009. It is thought to be at least 400 years old, and potentially up to 1,000 years old.

The band Skipinnish, which had played at the event, knew of the tree and led the conservationists to where it was hidden in a non-native Sitka spruce plantation on Achnacarry Estate.

It has won a public vote against 11 other contenders in the Woodland Trust competition.

The winner was announced on BBC TV's The One Show.

Runner-up was the Darwin Oak in Shrewsbury and in third place the 1,000-year-old Bowthorpe Oak in Lincolnshire.

Skipinnish, which plays traditional and contemporary Scottish music, is composing a new song in honour of the winner.

The tune is to be performed for the first time at a gig in Glasgow next year.

The oak beat 11 other contenders for the title

Band member Andrew Stevenson grew up in Lochaber and knew about the ancient oak tree.

The piper said: "I am delighted that the Skipinnish Oak has won Tree of the Year.

"The tree has held a special place in my heart since my father first described it to me, and the first time I saw it many years ago."

George Anderson, of Woodland Trust Scotland, said: "It is the tree that time forgot but the piper remembered."

The oak is now a contender in the European Tree of the Year competition.