Sutton Council has confirmed that it has saved the root of a fallen Weeping Willow in Beddington Park, meaning it could sprout again next year.

However, the local authority is still unsure why the historic tree fell earlier this week, saying there had been no indication it was dying or in ill health.

During a visit to the Sutton park this week, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) observed how the willow had fallen away from a pathway and into the River Wandle, leaving a large hole in the ground where its roots had been.

The council said routine assessments had given no indication that the tree was in decline before it fell. Tree surgeons have since attended the park on Friday (November 13) to assess the damage and remove the fallen sections.

During the work, they also managed to recover the tree’s root. “This took a lot of work by the team, but we are delighted that we were able to save the root to ensure it will sprout again next year,” a council spokesperson told the LDRS.

The authority added that the hole left in the ground when the tree’s root plate slid forwards would be repaired shortly. However, it did not provide further details about what caused the tree to fall.

The council also confirmed that all necessary precautions had been taken to protect local waterfowl and other wildlife during the fallen tree removal.

The council added: “We are extremely lucky in Sutton to have such a richtr variety of historic trees, including the Weeping Willows in Beddington Park.”