Split personalitree
After 400 years, half of world’s mightiest elm crashes down
NATURE lovers have been left shocked after one of the world’s oldest elm trees split in two.
The giant tree, one of the Preston Twins, was partially destroyed by high winds that hit Brighton on Saturday.
The elm, which has a girth of almost 20ft, dates back to 1613 when William Shakespeare was alive and James I was on the throne.
The Preston Twins are widely regarded as the oldest elms in the world and are a major tourist attraction.
The pair have avoided Dutch Elm Disease thanks to stringent measures adopted by council chiefs in East Sussex. The trees are checked daily and pruned regularly to ensure their hollow stems will not collapse.
Since the epidemic in the 1970s, Dutch Elm Disease has killed 60 million trees in the UK – but between 25,000 and 30,000 remain in Brighton.
Earlier this year, several elms in Preston Park were felled following new evidence of the disease.
Council workers severed the roots of infected trees to halt any possible spread.
Experts warned the warm weather was putting the Preston Twins at risk but it is not known if they are infected.
A spokesperson for Brighton and Hove Council said: “A large section of one of our Preston Twins fell in the bad weather.
“We are busy clearing up and will need to do pruning to make sure the tree is safe.
“Our experts will assess the condition of the tree and consider whether further action is needed.
“It’s a magnificent tree and we will do everything in our powers to try to make sure it can survive.”
Dutch Elm Disease can be spread through connecting roots or by beetles carrying the infection.
Members of the elm family can be distinguished by their purple flowers in early spring.