A horse chestnut tree, which villagers are campaigning to save, has been given a stay of execution after councillors decided not to fell it.

The tree, in the heart of Lyng, near Dereham, was cast into the spotlight earlier this year when a campaign was launched to stop Lyng Parish Council from ordering it to be cut down. It was planted 38 years ago to commemorate the Queen's Silver Jubilee.

Now, despite having permission from Breckland Council to fell the tree, the parish council has decided to leave it for the moment and monitor its condition as a tree surgeon's report said it was not dangerous.

Parish clerk Pete Dilloway said: 'It is not much of a tree, has problems and is not sustainable. At some point in the future we will have to fell and replace it, no two ways about it.

'We are going to have a site meeting with the Breckland tree officer and have a look at what we can do in the short-term. It has got a stay of execution if you like but one day it will have to come down.'

He added the tree, which is on the green outside The Fox pub, was too big for its site.

Campaigners tied ribbons around the tree and Sue Maufe, who planted it with her husband in 1977, said: 'It is a good outcome. I can understand that in a few years to come they might have to review it to see whether it is getting too big or is diseased.

'It is a great tree which is growing the conkers for the children to gather.

'At the moment it is looking very nice with the ribbons tied around it now that the leaves have gone.Perhaps they will put Christmas baubles on it.'

A spokesman for Breckland Council said: 'Although it has early onset disease and a weak structure, it is not considered to be dangerous at this time. However, given the disease and poor structure, the tree is not sustainable and so is unsuitable for a tree preservation order. We have no grounds to object to the tree being felled if the parish council should wish to do so in the future.'

What do you think? Write to doug.faulkner@archant.co.uk