Tree takes tallest title after growth spurt

A tree has achieved a growth spurt which has made it the tallest of its type, despite being nearly 200 years old.

The Grand Fir at Skelghyll Woods near Ambleside, Cumbria, was measured on Thursday by arborist Will Hicks, under the watchful eyes of the National Trust, managers of the woodland and officials from the Tree Register, which verified the measurement.

The tree is 59.7m (196 feet) tall - 1.9m (6 feet) more than the last time it was measured in 2012.

Mr Hicks said: "It's not often you can climb trees this big, it's like three trees in one."

He said the views from the top were "stunning".

Having climbed the tree holding a pole attached to a tape measure, he held tape at the tip of the tallest branch and a National Trust ranger at the foot took the measurement.

The National Trust said the Grand Fir was taller than local landmark, the 50m Ambleside Parish Church, and would also tower over 10 double decker buses stacked on top of each other.

John Pring, who helped measure the Grand Fir in 2012, said the tree was believed to have been planted by Thomas Wrigley about 1860 as part of his Wansfell Holme country estate.

Mr Pring said: "At the time Victorians loved creating arboretums to show off newly discovered trees including conifers from the Americas.

"People can now see someone’s vision for a Victorian arboretum, almost 200 years after it was planted."

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