Wellingborough tree felling stalemate continues as a second protester climbs London Road lime to prevent clearance work

Protests to prevent the felling of an historic avenue of lime trees in London Road, Wellingborough - known as The Walks - show no signs of abating today (March 1).

Yesterday, direct action moved from pavements, roads and car parks near the trees and up into the doomed branches.

Campaigning barrister Paul Powlesland spent eight hours sitting in a fork in the trunk of one of the 120-year-old trees he had scampered up after Northants Police had moved in to clear protesters.

This morning, another protester, Marly Lyman, from Northampton, using a telescopic ladder to scale Heras fencing managed to evade a security guard and lodged himself in the same tree. He too has been arrested for aggravated trespass – the sixth person to face the same charge.

He said: “They asked me to come down so the fellers can continue their work, but the trees are staying and so are we.

"I haven’t any ambition to come down until Cllr Smithers (leader of North Northants Council) makes a public declaration that every tree that can possibly be saved, will be saved.

"Paul (Powlesland) is a qualified barrister and he is adamant they are being felled illegally.

"The trees are protected and an historic much-loved part of the area but more than that we are in a climate emergency, declared by this council.”

Cllr Jason Smithers and Rob Harbour, North Northants Council assistant director of growth and regeneration, began a meeting at 10.30am with campaigner Marion Turner-Hawes and Paul Powlesland who has been advising residents.

Last night Cllr Smithers made a site visit to London Road and spoke to Mr Powlesland while still up the tree when the meeting was arranged to talk through the planning process.

Mr Powlesland’s protest ended after the promise of the meeting and he felt he was at risk of getting hypothermia.