Villagers mourn loss of fallen oak in Blean
by Gerry Warren
gwarren@thekmgroup.co.uk
A 70ft oak tree has blown down in a gale - crashing across a
public footpath at Blean.
The tree was a much-loved feature in the village but is now
uprooted and blocking the well-used path between the Hare and
Hounds pub and the church.
Its demise is being mourned by villagers, including artist and
Bagpuss creator Peter Firmin, who created a lithograph of it to
make a Christmas card.
He said: “It’s sad to see it down because it was a magnificent
tree and I called it The Blean Oak.
"When I was footpath warden on Blean parish council, I had it
covered by a tree preservation order but sadly that has not
protected it from the wind.
“We think it came down last week during the gales. The ground in
the field is very wet and that may have led to it becoming more
unstable.
“I have reported it to the county council’s rights of way
department because the footpath is blocked but it will not be easy
to get at and remove.
“The trunk is nearly two metres in diameter and it will need
some pretty heavy duty machinery but the access is limited and the
ground very soft so they might have to wait until it dries up,
which won’t be anytime soon.”
04/12/12
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