Nellie's tree crowned England's finest

Nellie’s tree, at Parlington near Aberford, was crowned the best tree in England by the Woodland Trust last week after a public vote to be in with a chance of the UK crown.

A Welcome to Yorkshire spokesman said: “The N shaped tree was created nearly 100 years ago to celebrate the love Vic Stead had for his sweetheart Nellie.

“Vic, from Garforth, used to walk along the old colliery railway, to visit Nellie, the young woman he was courting who lived in Aberford.

“One day, he spotted three beech saplings on his route, and grafted one sapling between the other two to form the letter N, for Nellie.”

Vic and Nellie went on to marry and have a family, and the tree was entered into the competition by their grandson.

Nellie’s Tree or, the Love Tree, is regularly visited and much loved by locals and now the whole country has taken its story to their hearts.

Vote at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/48blJN6fKjLB7BjwVj1x6j4/the-one-show-online-vote