Police called after tree barricaded by protesters

Police were called after protesters used their vehicles to prevent access to a 120-year-old tree set for the chop.

Campaigners have been gathering at the Old King George oak, in Wivenhoe High Street, Essex, ahead of its felling over an insurance issue.

Describing the situation as "heartbreaking", Kat Scott, 31, said: "We're doing our best but it might be too late."

Wivenhoe Town Council said multiple reports showed the tree was causing subsidence at nearby properties.

Councillors have not confirmed when the felling would take place, but campaigners told the BBC it was planned for Wednesday.

Tree surgeons accompanied by a security team installed fencing at the site on Monday ahead of the work.

Ms Scott, an architect, said "serious questions" would be asked of the town council if the chop went ahead.

"There's a lot of grief our community is going to have for the loss of this tree," she said.

"There's going to be a lot of anger and upset that's going to linger, and I think there's going to be really, really big implications in terms of our local politics."

Police officers were sent to the peaceful protest on Monday over concerns about public order.

Campaigner Philip George believed there were alternative solutions to the subsidence, which affected homes in nearby Clifton Terrace.

Rina Isaacson added: "We need it delayed so we have the time to get the investigations done, to get the surveys done."

The town council said unless the tree was felled by 1 February, it would face claims for the costs of "extensive work" to stabilise the properties impacted.

In a statement, the authority said multiple reports showed the oak was causing damage and efforts to secure a Tree Preservation Order had been unsuccessful.

"The council has engaged regularly with the insurer for over four years and every possible effort has been made to find a solution which would keep the trees in situ," it said.

The council said it was important to remember the "extremely stressful period" affected homeowners had been facing.

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