Activist wins tree stay of execution

Green activist Eileen Heaton, from Scarborough, wrapped herself around the cherry tree on a roundabout in the town after council workmen moved in to cut it and two others down.

North Yorkshire County Council, which owns the trees, said the removal is part of a community-led regeneration project by Groundwork North Yorkshire and the final decision rests with the organisation.

Last year, the council was ordered to pay a six-figure sum in legal fees incurred in the process of trying to cut down a tree in nearby Irton, despite the efforts of eco-warriors who took up home in its branches.