A TREE in Oswaldtwistle's Ryddings Park will still be axed despite attempts by councillors to have the decision overturned.

Hyndburn Council's cabinet decided to cut down the 50ft sequoia tree as part of a £2 million lottery scheme to improve the park.

The decision proved controversial after more than 2,000 people signed a petition calling for the tree to be saved and was called in to the council's overview and scrutiny committee by Cllr Judith Addison.

She said the cabinet's recommendation for felling was clear, but based on a false premise while the issue of "community impact was by far the greatest area of concern and threatened to bring the council into disrepute".

She said users of the park were "incensed that their petition of 2,000 signatures had largely been ignored by the council which they saw as determined to ride roughshod over their wishes."

However it was decided the "cabinet decision be released in full for implementation".