Defeat for villagers at Irton’s beech tree is finally felled

Campaigners’ hopes the tree would be saved were dashed when North Yorkshire highways assistant director Barrie Mason announced the felling would go ahead.

He said anyone who tried to block the felling could face jail.

A succession of villagers at Irton have climbed the tree, staying there for days on end, in a bid to keep the bulldozers at bay.

Vicki Walsh, 17, who calls herself “Beech Nut”, spent four nights in the branches but came down at 10.10am today to applause from villagers, who have now accepted defeat in their battle to save the tree.

It is expected that the tree will be felled by the end of the day.

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