The fight to save a mature tree reached a tragic climax for campaigners this morning as work started to chop it down.

Campaigners watched in disbelief at the site in Duke Street, Margate, as the sycamore's branches were sliced through with a chainsaw to make way for a five-storey block of flats.

Sycamore tree in Duke Street is chopped down (credit: Dosh Archer)

Save The Duke protestors believe the sycamore tree should have been protected and called on Thanet District Council to rethink its decision to allow the felling.

They had protested at the site and a confrontation led to four people being arrested - who were all released later without charge.

But this morning tree surgeons have been removing its branches while police stand guard at the site.

Campaigner Dosh Archer, who is at the site this morning, says she and other protestors were in disbelief.

"We are trying to save the planet, one tree at a time and they’re trying to destroy it," she said.

"We move onto the new positive now which is trying to save another tree, clearing up the oceans and building gardens.

"Buildings and trees can live happily together, and people can live with the environment [because] we are the environment.

"I am sad for all the people who are cutting this tree down. I’m not sad for us, they’re the ones who should be sad and are in denial - not us."

The local authority raised no objection to the tree being removed, despite 68 letters calling for it to be saved.

In its decision notice, the authority said while it is "regrettable" the tree will be lost, it would be difficult to develop the site and retain the sycamore.

"Given the site's prominent location within the Conservation Area, greater weight is placed on utilising this site in a positive manner rather than retaining the empty gap which does not enhance or preserve its special character," the case officer said.

The planned development involves a five-storey building for five flats and a commercial unit on the ground floor, but means the loss of the sycamore.

Ten years ago, the area had been earmarked as a site for a community garden as part of the Turner Contemporary regeneration project, but was sold off some years later as part of the council's asset disposal programme instead.

Those against the removal of the tree formed a group called Save The Duke and had been camping out at the site to ensure its protection.

A spokesman for Thanet council previously said: "Consent to approve the felling of the sycamore tree in Duke Street was granted by the planning committee in June 2018, prior to the climate emergency declaration.

"At the time, greater weight was given to using the site, which is in a Conservation Area, in a positive way and the recent notice to the council of intention to fell the tree took this previous permission and full planning analysis into consideration.

"The council is currently developing a district-wide tree strategy to plan where trees can be added and what species would be suitable in each specific area.

"Our Local Plan also includes a biodiversity net gain policy which has to be considered when determining all planning applications."

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