AN ANCIENT yew tree was set on fire by vandals in Witton Park on Monday evening.

The tree, one of an avenue of yews near the lily pond, was badly damaged before Blackburn firefighters put it out at 8pm on Monday.

Amateur photographer Anne McCullagh-D'Lyske had gone to take photographs of the park when she saw the blaze.

She said: "Everybody watching was devastated, one little girl was trying to put it out with water from a lemonade bottle.

"It's terrible vandalism to destroy something so old and precious. Now it's just a filthy, blackened mess."

The fire service were delayed because a park vehicle was blocking the back entrance to the park and fire officers had to bounce it out of the way.

Park groundsman Tom Jones said the yew tree, estimated to be several hundred years old, had been deliberately set alight and dry leaves caught inside the branches had helped it burn. "It will survive with careful pruning, but it's badly burnt down one side."

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