A bid has been launched to help save a long-established conker tree which sits in the heart of a rural village.

Eastern Daily Press: Lyng conker tree. Villagers are trying to save the horse chestnut tree outside the Fox pub,Lyng conker tree. Villagers are trying to save the horse chestnut tree outside the Fox pub, (Image: Archant)

Lyng Parish Council has looked into the possibility of felling the horse chestnut tree outside the Fox pub.

The large tree outside the Fox pub is said to be interfering with power and telephone cables above and is considered to be too big for its site.

A Save the Lyng Conker Tree campaign has been launched and more than 20 people tied a ribbon around the tree as part of their protest.

Artist Mrs Maufe, 69, who first moved to the village in 1972 and now lives in nearby Sparham, said: 'The tree was one of 10 planted from grant money to mark the silver jubilee and spruce up the centre of Lyng.

'It's a good looking tree, and quite a healthy tree, and I wouldn't want to see it cut down. It's got quite a few more years of life in it yet.'

A tree surgeon, at the request of Lyng Parish Council, has inspected the tree and recommended that it be felled and replaced.

One of the villagers had complained that the tree was interfering with their telephone line, prompting the investigation.

The tree is one of three in Lyng which have been inspected by the tree surgeon and the work on all three trees is expected to cost £500.

A parish council meeting will be held on September 9 and council officials said a final decision is yet to be made. They did stress, however, that if the tree were to be felled, it would be replaced.

Parish clerk Peter Dilloway said: 'It's not a wonderful specimen, it's prone to disease and it's not necessarily in good condition. The last thing you want to happen is for a branch to fall off and onto someone's head.'

He added: 'If there weren't cables there, we would probably let it grow a bit more but with trees in public places, you have got to be so careful. We are happy to look at it again and see if there's a better solution.'

The parish council meeting will be held at Lyng and District Community Hall on September 9 at 7.30pm.

•To see the campaign, go to www.facebook.com/LyngConkerTree?fref=ts