Newtown’s Great Brimmon Oak has been named runner-up in the European Tree of the Year awards, pipped to first place by a Polish Oak tree.
Mervyn Lloyd Jones, owner of the land that the Brimmon Oak stands on near Newtown, attended the ceremony in Brussels with Rob McBride who have both campaigned to save the tree which was in line of the original plans for the Newtown bypass.
The Brimmon Oak was named UK Tree of the Year and Wales Tree of the Year earlier in there year before going on to the European Tree of the Year.
“We’re very pleased with the result,” said Mervyn. “It’s great to see all of the trees in the finals and we’re very happy to be part of it, putting the Brimmon Oak and other trees firmly on the international map.”
The Oak Josef in Poland attracted 17,595 votes, ahead of the Brimmon Oak at 16,203.
The Brimmon Oak was faced with possible death after the Welsh Government planned to build the Newtown bypass within metres of thee tree and its roots.
Following a campaign launched by Mervyn, the government caved in and agreed to move the £56m road several more metres away to prevent the roots from being damaged.
Photo: Mervyn Lloyd Jones by the Great Brimmon Oak before work began on the Newtown bypass (Photo ©Owain Betts)
