Bowthorpe Oak: Future of Lincolnshire's huge 1,000-year-old tree secured

The Bowthorpe Oak's hollow trunk is big enough for people to stand inside

The future of a huge 1,000-year-old oak tree has been secured after the government agreed to pay for it to be given expert care.

The ancient Bowthorpe Oak, near Bourne in Lincolnshire, has a hollow trunk and a gigantic girth of about 44ft (13.4m).

The new funding will cover the cost of a specialist survey and for the tree to be looked after by the Woodland Trust.

Louise Hackett, from the trust, said the oak was "a magnificent specimen" and "a truly awesome sight".

The ancient tree, near Bourne in Lincolnshire, is thought to be 1,000 years old

The venerable survivor, at Bowthorpe Park Farm, was named one of 50 Great British Trees by the Tree Council in celebration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002.

It was also a runner-up in the 2016 Tree of the Year competition, run by the Woodland Trust.

The gnarly old giant is fenced off for protection, but visitors are welcome on weekends and bank holidays, the trust said.

George Blanchard, whose family has farmed the land at Bowthorpe Park Farm since the 1940s, said the English oak had "always been part of family life".

The oak's hollow trunk also provides a perfect habitat for insects, birds and other animals, the Woodland Trust says

As part of the award to ensure the oak's future, saplings from acorns from the tree will also be planted in nearby fields to enrich the surrounding habitat along with new hedgerows.

The Woodland Trust is working with the National Trust to restore damaged woods and conserve neglected ancient trees using £4.6m of Green Recovery Challenge funding from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.