Crowd protests in bid to save Windsor tree

Protesters waved placards and called for the Royal Borough to reverse a decision to chop down a 200-year-old cedar tree yesterday.

More than 200 people gathered beneath to imposing trunk of the tree in St Leonards Road to force the council into a major rethink.

Last week a notice was placed on the tree saying it was to be felled because it was causing cracks to appear in neighbours' homes.

But those who turned out on Sunday had little sympathy, saying the tree was there before the homes and should be allowed to outlive them.

"How can you cull something so beautiful," asked 65-year-old Valerie Mcardle, of Forest Road. "It's been here longer than these houses and is a Windsor landmark."

A spokesman for the council said the felling had been put on hold to allow officers to fully assess the situation.

A poem attached to the tree read 'From its height to its girth right down to its bark, no one can deny its a true Windsor landmark.'