POOLE council has defended its decision to cut down a large tree which it says posed a risk to the public.

Tree surgeons hired by the council felled the large Monterey pine in a car park at Broadstone.

The felling provoked a furious response from local man Alan Jenkins, who said many people knew and loved the tree.

“It was a fantastic landmark so people locally will be up in arms,” he said.

“I want to know what the legal basis was for cutting this tree down. A lot of people in Broadstone are going to be livid.

“I don’t get worked up about trees but this thing was just magnificent. There was no reason to cut it down.”

The Borough of Poole says notices had been placed on the tree and around the car park for two months to let people know that it was to be cut down.

It says the tree was a fast-growing Monterey pine, from the coast of California.

Andy Osborne, senior arboricultural officer at the Borough of Poole, said: “Our contractors have removed a large, over-mature Monterey Pine tree from the Kirkway car park in Broadstone.

“This tree, which was approximately 75-85 years old, had recently shed a large branch over the public highway. In addition, some of its other large branches were subsiding, which means that the spreading, overextended limbs were becoming too heavy for the tree to support.

“We decided to remove the tree because of its age and potential risk to users of the car park and road. We will replace it with an oak tree and two Scots pines.

"These indigenous trees are suited to the availability and quality of soil in the area and will grow reasonably well to form a natural feature in the future.”

Cllr Vikki Slade, who represents Broadstone on the council said she was “devastated” by the felling and has challenged whether it was necessary.

She said many residents had commented about it – and she hoped the timber could be put to good use, providing free fuel for the elderly.