Ancient oak named after a band is UK Tree of the Year

A histrion successful the Scottish Highlands thought to beryllium astatine slightest 1,000 years aged and known arsenic the Skipinnish Oak has been named UK Tree of the Year.

Native woodland experts had nary thought the histrion existed until a gathering successful 2009.

The set Skipinnish, which had played astatine the event, knew of the histrion and led the conservationists to wherever it was hidden successful a non-native Sitka spruce plantation connected Achnacarry Estate.

It has won a nationalist ballot against 11 different contenders successful the Woodland Trust competition.

The victor was announced connected BBC TV's The One Show.

Runner-up was the Darwin Oak successful Shrewsbury and successful 3rd spot the 1,000-year-old Bowthorpe Oak successful Lincolnshire.

Skipinnish, which plays accepted and modern Scottish music, is composing a caller opus successful honour of the winner.

The tune is to beryllium performed for the archetypal clip astatine a gig successful Glasgow adjacent year.

Band subordinate Andrew Stevenson grew up successful Lochaber and knew astir the past oak tree.

The piper said: "I americium delighted that the Skipinnish Oak has won Tree of the Year.

"The histrion has held a peculiar spot successful my bosom since my begetter archetypal described it to me, and the archetypal clip I saw it galore years ago."

George Anderson, of Woodland Trust Scotland, said: "It is the histrion that clip forgot but the piper remembered."