Radstock Jubilee oak tree moved for new road layout

The oak tree will be moved to Writhlington School in Radstock

Preparations are under way to move an oak tree in a Somerset town to make way for a new road layout.

Bath and North East Somerset Council believes the road upgrade will help regenerate Radstock and cut congestion.

The council had planned to fell the tree, but a compromise was reached after residents fought to save it.

The tree was planted in Radstock in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and will be relocated to Writhlington School.

The relocation is expected to take about one week to complete.

The tree is also the site of where teenager Colin Latchem died in a road crash 15 years ago.

His family has laid flowers at the oak tree for the 15 years since.

Despite the removal of the tree, planning consent for the road layout proposals has not yet been secured.

If granted approval, work is expected to begin in the Autumn of 2013.