Tavistock Parish Church Centre has been given permission to prune a tree in its grounds aptly called the ‘Tree of heaven’.

The parish centre applied for permission from West Devon Borough Council to reduce the tree’s canopy by two metres and remove deadwood, which has been granted.

Planning approval was needed for the work because the tree is in the Tavistock Conservation Area.

The ‘Tree of Heaven’, formally called Ailanthus altissima, is a deciduous tree of the quassia family which can easily grow to a height that can tower over buildings.

The native of northeast and central China is considered a noxious weed and a fast-growing, vigorous invasive species in this country.