Where the ancient tree felled by Toby Carvery once stood, people are reeling
BBCWhether a tree falling in a forest makes a sound is a perennial subject of debate, but in one north London borough, it's certainly made a lot of noise.
The felling of a 500-year-old oak tree earlier this month in Enfield has sparked outrage and a nationwide conversation.
First came the felling itself on 3 April which, it seems, few people noticed.
It wasn't until 12 days later that the news emerged in a flurry of national headlines, after council workers found the slain tree in Whitewebbs Park.
Then came a plot twist that few would expect - the owners of Toby Carvery, a family pub chain specialising in budget roast dinners which has a restaurant overlooking the tree, itted that they felled it after receiving advice it was dead.
The saga is a stark reminder of the emotional place that trees occupy in Britain's national consciousness - coming not long after the iconic Sycamore Gap tree was felled at Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland.
That's evident in Enfield, where BBC News visited on Friday and found Amanda Dudley gazing at the remains of the oak, its former parts scattered around a blunted stump and cordoned off with red and white tape.
She lowered herself to sneak through and examine the tree's trunk, which has a circumference of 6m (20ft), more thoroughly.
"I can't believe they've done this," she said. "This is a friend of mine."
During lockdown Amanda, an artist, walked around Whitewebbs Park and says she looked at the tree every day. She has drawn sketches of it too.
"It was a real comfort to me," she told me. "This is a place I've walked for years and years. I have quite a long relationship with this tree."
Marina Cardozo, who walked around the area every day during lockdown, felt similarly. "It's just so shocking, absolutely shocking," she said. "500 years and they chop it down":[]}