Cadair Idris chair gift to be removed

The chair was left near the summit of Cadair Idris for weary walkers

A wooden chair left on a mountain as a thank you present to a Gwynedd community is being removed after falling foul of countryside rules.

Nick Bullen's creation was a farewell to the community near Cadair Idris before he returns to South Africa.

It took 15 people four hours to carry the 8ft (2.43m) oak chair up the peak.

Both the Snowdonia National Park and Countryside Council for Wales said allowing the chair to stay would set a "dangerous precedent".

"We were contacted by the park who told us that they are contacted, nearly every day, by someone who wants to place a memorial bench or plaque on a mountain, and if it was allowed the mountain would quickly become littered," said Mr Bullen.

He said he had been given the chance to take the chair back, but because it was a present he had refused and accepted an offer to place it at another location.

"I would have preferred it at the top, but there are no hard feelings on either side," he added.

Mr Bullen said the public reaction to the chair had been "very supportive".

However, environmentalists were less keen on the chair crafted from oak being left close to the 893m (2,930ft) summit.

"I completely understand their point of view and they've offered us another, beautiful spot to put it," added Mr Bullen.

The Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) said Mr Bullen's company Sylvantutch had agreed to remove the large chair as it was placed "without consent or consultation" from CCW or the Snowdonia National Park Authority.

"Some issues of concern were not considered - including concern about safety, vandalism and erosion," said a spokesman.

Exhibition centre

"It would start a dangerous precedent if people began putting chairs and benches on the mountain," said Paul Williams, CCW's Cadair Idris reserve manager.

"The site is of high conservation value and the added danger of high winds blowing over such a large object meant that we had to ask for the chair to be removed," he added.

After it is recovered the chair will be placed at CCW's exhibition centre at Ystradlyn cottage, at the foot of the mountain.

"I'm glad the issue has been resolved and that all parties have worked together to ensure common sense has prevailed," Mr Williams added.