Major Oak survives summer drought as teams work to save it

SHERWOOD Forest's Major Oak has survived the worst of a sweltering summer despite fears for the health of the ancient tree, according to experts looking after it.

- By JOSHUA HARTLEY

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has worked closely with some of the UK's best tree and soil specialists to help the tree - legendary because of its links with the Robin Hood story - as this year's drought took its toll.

The county is now having showers after weeks without rainfall, but the hotter, drier summer put pressure on the ongoing efforts to increase the health of the huge oak tree, which is thought to be between 800 and 1,000 years old.

The attraction's popularity compacted the sandy acidic soil around its base and led to the installation of a fence in the mid-1970s. The fence helped to ease pressure on the soil but the compaction has restricted the flow of water, oxygen and the availability of nutrients to the roots.