THOSE upset by the removal of a very old holly tree in Okehampton?s Fairplace Gardens which are currently undergoing a transformation will be pleased to know another will be planted soon.
Borough councillor for Okehampton Joan Pauley has donated a new holly bush to the town which should mature in three to five years time and be covered in red berries.
Cllr Pauley said she was upset when the holly tree was dug up and dumped: ?This tree was there in the 1950s when I first came to Okehampton and it used to be a focus at Christmas when we sang carols around it,? she said. ?The new one will take a while to grow to this stage but I felt it was important to keep a holly in Fairplace Gardens.?
The gardens are due to be completed early next year and this is one of the projects forming a major £1 million enhancement programme for Okehampton which has been aided by European 5B funding. Scented plants are expected to form a major part of the scheme.