After months of demonstrations and petitions, the famous Cubbington Pear Tree has been cut down today as part of the HS2 works in Warwickshire.

The 250 year old tree, which was the National Tree of the Year in 2015, has been the subject of much of the anti-HS2 campaign in the area, alongside the rest of the wood in Cubbington as well as the camp at Crackley Wood.

At the beginning of October, demonstrators gathered outside St Mary's Church, Church Lane, Cubbington, and walked from there to Cubbington Woods and to the famous pear tree, with speeches given along the way.

Ahead of that day organisers had said "The Pear Tree is now also an icon for the GB taxpayer who will pay over £106billion for this vanity gravy train that is causing more job losses than it creates."

Further attempts had been made to save the tree with a petition that received over 21,000 signatures.

After it hit 20,000 the Department for Transport has to respond.

The department said "Environmental considerations were central to the original route selection process for HS2, and wherever practicable, HS2 is being designed to avoid or reduce impacts to habitats and protected species.

"The Government recognises that it is not possible to build a project on the scale of HS2 without having an impact on the environment, and that the construction of HS2 will result in the loss of trees and areas of natural habitat which are valued by local communities. This includes the Cubbington Pear Tree."

The department also said that they wish to continue the legacy of the tree stating "Over 40 new trees have been grown from cuttings taken from the tree.

"The regrown saplings will be planted in the local area as part of HS2's work to manage ancient woodlands and to create bigger, better and more joined up habitats in Warwickshire. Additionally, the stump and rooting structure will be relocated providing an opportunity for the parent tree to regrow or 'coppice'."

Organiser of the petition Rory Reynolds said to Nub News in response "It is good that the petition meant the government had to give a response to saving the Cubbington Pear Tree. The response is detailed and I understand more thoughtful than previous attempts.

"Even though they could move the entire tree, it is disappointing that they have decided not to do so. Given the planned imminent destruction of the tree, preserving the root plate and relocating it is a victory of sorts, but will HS2 provide the expertise and time to move the root structure correctly?

"This will require professional horticulturalists and preparation of the tree in order to be successful. HS2 needs to put the time, skill and money into carrying that out correctly- otherwise it will end up like one of their many dried-out new tree saplings."

However, the efforts by demonstrators to save the tree ended today. Images and videos of it being cut down have been shared on social media as a crowd gathered to view the event.

In response to todays events, campaigners have said in a statement on Facebook "For anyone reading this thinking it's just one tree it's much more than that, symptomatic, symbolic of much of what is wrong with this world today and this seemingly relentless path of (self) destruction we are currently on."