Mystery ode to 'lovely tree' felled by Storm Amy

The anonymous poem was left alongside a red rose

An anonymous poem written in memory of a tree brought down by Storm Amy has been welcomed by locals as a "lovely reminder" of the value of nature.

The tree, which stood near the Victoria Avenue fountain in the Avenues area of Hull, was uprooted in strong winds on Saturday morning.

After Hull City Council completed works to break up and remove the tree, the poem was left fastened to the stump alongside a red rose.

The poem thanked the "lovely tree" for being a place of shade, a means of displaying posters and for supporting local wildlife - even the dogs who cocked their legs against it.

The tree in springtime, before it was felled by Storm Amy

It gives thanks for many aspects of the tree's life, including the lines: "For letting us share posters, lost cats, jumble trails and more, and just for your beauty through seasons – naked and in leaf.

"We loved you and we will miss you."

On social media, residents reacted positively to the poem, writing comments including: "A lovely reminder of how much trees do for us. Thank you to whoever wrote it."

Another wrote: "Beautiful words. A huge loss to our community. Amazing years of service to us all."

The felled tree blocked Victoria Avenue on Saturday morning

Humberside Police closed the road on Saturday morning while work was carried out to remove the felled tree. No-one was hurt in the incident.

Storm Amy brought heavy rain and strong winds to large parts of the UK on Saturday - leaving thousands of homes without power across Scotland and Northern Ireland.

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