NATURE lovers living in Pineways, Appleton, have expressed their sadness at an ancient beech tree being cut down.

A landscaping team arrived at Bridgewater High School's playing field last Thursday morning to cut down the diseased 150-year-old tree, that must be destroyed for health and safety reasons.

Resident Tom Hughes said: "The tree was always a great attraction and used to form part of the driveway down towards Appleton Hall. It's a pity that they couldn't remove some of the lower branches instead of getting rid of the whole tree."

The borough council had been monitoring the tree for 10 years, and tree specialist Gordon Haslam said that an infection had spread through its roots, leaving it unsafe.