The Guardian
· collected 2026-10-07 · by Pippa Neill Environment reporter
The Bendy Tree, a wych elm with a near-horizontal trunk in Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland, has won the UK Tree of the Year competition. This 150-year-old tree survived Dutch elm disease and stands alone after redevelopment removed other trees along the promenade. The Woodland Trust’s May Chemais highlighted how the tree's resilience reflects human endurance through hardships, while John Martin from the Woodland Trust NI praised its whimsical charm that brings smiles to people’s faces.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Bendy Tree, a wych elm in Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland, was crowned the winner of the Woodland Trust's annual Tree of the Year contest. The tree, named for its near-horizontal trunk bent by coastal winds from the Irish Sea, has endured over 150 years, including the Dutch elm disease that devastated most UK elms in the mid-20th century. It received 30% of public votes in a poll open from July to September. The tree was originally part of a row planted along the town's promenade but is now the last standing after redevelopment felled others in the 1980s. May Chemais, ancient tree inventory lead for the Woodland Trust, noted its resilience and connection with people who have faced their own challenges, making it a fitting winner under the theme of "Against all odds."
Written for “Tree Of The Year Contest_winner annou…” on 2026-10-08,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
The “astonishing and bizarre” Bendy Tree in Northern Ireland has been crowned the winner of this year’s tree of the year competition.
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Tree → crown → competition
The wych elm tree, located in Newcastle, County Down, owes its name to its near horizontal trunk, which has grown sideways owing to the strong seaside winds coming off the Irish Sea.
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which → locate → Sea
The 150-year-old tree has resisted Dutch elm disease, a fungus that has destroyed most of the UK’s 30m elms, making it a worthy winner of the competition’s “against the odds” theme.
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it → resist → theme
The tree was originally planted in the mid-19th century as part of a row of wych elms along the town’s promenade to shelter the main street from sea winds.
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tree → plant → winds
Many of those trees were felled during redevelopments of the town, with the bendy tree now the last one standing.
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tree → fell → one
“When you look at this astonishing and bizarre tree, there’s no doubt about what it has endured,” said May Chemais, ancient tree inventory lead for the Woodland Trust, the charity that runs the annual competition.
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that → look → competition
“We’ve all been through changes and hardships that have shaped who we are: I think that’s why the Bendy Tree has struck a chord with people,” she said.
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she → shape → people
For John Martin, director of the Woodland Trust NI, it is the whimsical nature of the tree that makes it a worthy winner.
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it → make → tree
Having grown up visiting Newcastle as a child, Martin recalls seeing the tree out of the corner of his eye and being surprised to see a tree growing this way.
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tree → grow → eye
“You expect nature to behave in a certain way and we would expect a tree, most of the time, to grow upwards, whereas this one has grown sideways,” he said.
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he → expect → time
“I guess it gives people a bit of a smile on their day.”
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it → guess → day
The tree’s unusual shape has also provided welcome shade to residents and visitors resting on the bench located beneath its branches.
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shape → provide → branches
“Older trees like this one are providing our communities with so much – from shade, wellbeing and health benefits, to stories, culture and pride of place,” said Chemais.
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Chemais → provide → place
Other trees nominated in this year’s competition included the Crowhurst Yew in Crowhurst, Surrey, England.
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trees → nominate → Crowhurst
Villagers hollowed out the trunk in 1820 to create a parish meeting room within the tree.
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Villagers → hollow → tree
The roof of this room collapsed during a storm in 1845, but the tree lived on, with the wooden door to the secret room remaining to this day.
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door → collapse → day
This tree is perched on top a 20-metre high church tower, with its existence pre-dating residents’ living memories.
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existence → perch → memories
Last year’s honour went to a 75ft ash tree that shades homes on one of Glasgow’s busiest roads.
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that → go → roads
The Woodland Trust has this week launched its Igniting Innovation competition for anyone aged 16 to 25 to share their ideas for projects that could benefit nature and make life better for woods, trees and people.
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life → launch → woods
Three winners will receive £5,000 in funding and up to a year of expert mentoring to bring their projects to life.
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winners → receive → life
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