HEREFORDSHIRE Council is being asked for an explanation over what led to the sudden felling of a much-loved acacia tree in Leominster's Corn Square.

A witness claims the leafy landmark - one of only two trees in the square - was "badly bent over" in a brush with a rubbish collection lorry the day before it was cut down.

The 30-year-old memorial tree - which was lit up at Christmas with lights funded by the Hereford Times - was a threat to public safety, claimed the county council It was showing "significant movement" because its roots were rotting away, said the council.

But Leominster Mayor Janet Atkinson said she and her town council colleagues felt they were not given the full story following the summer felling.

"Herefordshire Council should tell us what happened - we want a proper explanation," she said.

The county has been asked to respond to a statement from a witness, Charles Winston, steward at The Rankin Club, in Corn Square.

Mr Winston said he was looking out of the window of his first-floor flat when a "larger that usual rubbish lorry" tangled with the acacia's branches.

"It was not our regular driver or our regular dustcart - it was a bigger vehicle," said Mr Winston.

The top of the truck caught in the tree's branches and the driver had to reverse to get out, bending the tree quite severely."

The subsequent felling of the tree on a market day shocked townspeople and upset veteran businessman James Page, 87.

He planted the tree in memory of his grandfather Alderman James Page, three-times mayor of Leominster, and was horrified to be given less than an hour's notice of its axing.

"I do believe it had a push from a vehicle," said Mr Page. "Corn Square is not made for big lorries."

He was distressed to see the tree being cut down but was now looking forward to the council replacing it with a new acacia sapling, possibly in a slightly different position, he said.

Herefordshire Council parks manager Colin Meneaud said: "We were not aware of an incident involving a dustcart."