A ROADSIDE shrine to the fallen appeared in North Warnborough after a much-loved old tree was cut down without prior warning.

Hampshire County Council felled the London plane tree, which stood near the mini-roundabout at the Dunleys Hill junction with North Warnborough Street.

A white cross and a poem were then attached to the stump by an unknown person. The poem “An ode to a tree” complains about the lack of notice and says the tree was probably still healthy. It ends: “Now that magnificent plane/will not be seen again/In all its seasonal glory/Oh what a sad story.”

Helen Fleming, vice-chairman of Odiham Parish Council, immediately emailed Hampshire County Council after being contacted by a concerned parishioner but was told an expert had found a fatal fungus in the 100-year-old tree.

Mrs Fleming said: “I was horrified when I heard. Some people have said that the stem looks healthy but the tree expert disagrees. The council have a duty to protect pedestrians and motorists of course, and because it isn’t in the conservation area, unfortunately they do not have a duty to tell anybody. But it would have been nice to have been informed.”

It is believed the tree had stood in the spot since the nursery behind Clevidge House supplied London with plane trees in the 1800s, giving the row of former workers cottages at Nursery Terrace their name.

Councillor Mel Kendal, Hampshire County Council’s executive member for environment, explained that the council’s first priority was people’s safety and, as the tree was very close to a busy junction, they had no option. It had been repeatedly inspected.

He said: “In this case, the tree had extensive and advancing root and lower stem decay and, unfortunately, there are no treatments available.”

The council have included two replacement trees in their winter replanting programme, one of which is a plane tree.

Mrs Fleming has now asked the parish council to agree that an explanation of the felling should be placed near the tree.