A TREE thought to be more than 150 years old split in half and came down in Cranmore Avenue, Park South.

Neighbours described the walls of their house shaking when the tree came down on the corner of Hanbury Road and Cranmore Avenue shortly after 4.30pm on Wednesday.

Swindon Borough Council tree surgeons were on the scene to clear the fallen half of the tree – affectionately known as the Hanbury Oak –but were unable to shed any light on what might have caused it to split.

Council tree officer Craig Donachie said the team had been alerted to the incident by one of the tree surgeons who lived nearby and heard it come down. 

He said: “Unfortunately we have lost the tree. The whole thing is going to have to come down now. There is no way of saving it which is a great shame.

“I reckon that tree has to be between 150 and 180 years old, it has certainly seen both world wars. When it comes down we will be able to count the rings and have a clearer idea of how old it is. 

“I came here in 1978 as a junior tree surgeon and I have been up it more times than I care to remember carrying out inspections. The guys here now will also have been up there too.”

He added the remainder of the tree had been deemed safe enough to stay where it was overnight.

The tree was inspected at least every 18 months, and it had shown no signs of being at risk.

Mr Donachie said: “This is totally unpredictable, the tree is absolutely solid and there are no signs of decay. We have no idea why it has come down; it’s just one of those things.”

The road was partially blocked by the tree and police were on the scene directing traffic to keep the road open.

PC Ed Audritt said officers had been called to attend the incident at around 4.45pm. He said: “There were no injuries and no-one was involved, which was very lucky.”

Residents living nearby who asked not to be named said the walls of the house shook when the tree came down.

“We didn’t know what had happened until we came outside and saw it," one said.

"We have lived here for nine months and notified the council two or three times that we wanted the tree looked at. One branch came off in May and they came and dealt with it.

“But I am surprised it has come down because even though it is an old tree it didn’t look unsafe, it looked fairly solid.”