An ancient oak tree marking the border between England and Wales has fallen after being badly damaged in a storm.

The 1,000 year-old Buttington oak, one of the oldest trees in Wales, had stood for centuries along Offa's Dyke.

It was found in its field, two miles from the town of Welshpool in Powys, after splitting in half by high winds last year.

Exactly what caused the tree to topple is unclear, but self-proclaimed 'tree-hunter' Rob McBride, who records ancient trees, believes it was not protected well enough.

He told Sky News: "It's very sad what has been allowed to happen to a magnificent tree. It sits on a flood plain, so that might have had some impact on it structurally, but the main damage was caused by storms last year."


The tree is thought to have been named after the Battle of Buttington, fought in 893 between a Viking army and an alliance of Anglo-Saxons and Welsh.

According to Mr McBride, joint founder and director of TREEspect CIC, who discovered the fallen tree, the oak was of enormous cultural significance as it was a pollard - it had not grown in the field naturally and had been pruned in a certain way.

"When I saw it on its side from the road, I can't repeat what I said. It's such a pity as this was the largest tree on Offa's Dyke and the second-largest oak in Wales, and the largest easily accessible to the public.

"This would have been a working tree over the years, providing the local community with wood for weapons.

"This whole area is full of historical importance. There have been two great battles here and not far away marks the England-Wales border."

Mr McBride said the mighty oak had a girth of 11m, which would make it about 1,000 years old.

He called for better protection for trees in the UK, telling Sky News: "If this tree was in Europe it would have a blue plaque protecting it and a fence around it. This wouldn't have been allowed to happen.

"We need to give these fantastic icons of the British countryside better protection, and give them the same status we give to our famous buildings."

The Battle of Buttington saw the invading Vikings defeated by the combined English and Welsh army.

Offa, king of the Mercians - a warrior tribe in central England - between 757 and 796, had earlier ordered the Dyke be built to act as a defence against the Welsh.

It was constructed at the end of the 8th century and runs for 140 miles from the mouth of the River Dee in the north to that of the Wye in the south.