A TREE which was axed in error during the remodelling of Cinderford's town centre has been replaced with the help of the town's Brownies and Rainbow Guides.

Back in 1973, when the centre of Cinderford was undergoing a facelift rather less extensive than the present work, the Guides planted a tree to mark the occasion.

But when builders Hodson started to clear The Triangle late last year the tree came down make way for improvements ... and then somebody pointed out its significance.

"The builders were horrified about what they had done – nobody had told them because not a lot of people remember the Guides planting it," said Brownies unit helper Janet Bennett.

"Then somebody pointed it out to them. They said that when the time came to add the finishing touches at The Triangle we should contact them and they would see about replacing the tree."

The upshot was a ceremony in which the town's Rainbow group and Brownies gathered to plant a brand new tree last week in the newly-paved Triangle, accompanied by their leaders and helpers and representatives from the builders and designers engaged on the project.

Mrs Bennett explained that the Brownies had stepped in as the Guides are in suspension at the moment because they need to recruit a new leader.