Ashley Down Oak: Campaigners win battle to stop felling

Campaigners mounted a round-the-clock vigil to save the tree

An oak tree in Bristol thought to be more than a hundred years old has been saved, after the city council reversed its earlier decision to remove it.

The tree, on Ashley Down Road, was causing "significant subsidence damage" to a nearby house and so felling the tree was "unavoidable".

Campaigners have occupied the oak in a bid to avoid it being cut down.

Mayor Marvin Rees said the change of heart was "a really good piece of news".

A platform was built high in the tree for campaigners

Save The Ashley Down Oak campaigner Owen Tyley said: "We spoke to people living around the tree and they were very clear that they didn't want it taken down.

"So half a dozen or so of us built a platform in the tree and we organised a rota to have people up there or at the base of the tree around the clock."

The tree had been causing damage to a nearby home

Mr Rees said that experts had now found a way of protecting the home without felling the tree.

"We are going to be able to save the tree and we are going to be able to save the home," he added.

Mr Tyley said he welcomed the decision but "it's not the end of the road for us,".

"They're looking at pollarding it - a process where they remove branches to limit its size, which still has potential to damage the tree, so we're not standing down quite yet.

"Moving on from here, its important that we recognise this is part of a much wider campaign. This isn't the only tree in danger in the area. It's about the planning culture and the way Bristol views mature trees."