A TREE surgeon had to chop down a tree he planted 40 years ago.

Leo Lamont, who looks after Brighton and Hove’s trees, had to cut down an elm in Preston Park as it was diseased.

But the Brighton and Hove City Council worker was “heartbroken” as he had planted the tree as a trainee in the late 1970s.

“Once it takes hold, elm disease can be devastating,” he said.

“It’s heartbreaking to be cutting down one of the trees I planted so many years ago, which had grown into a beautiful mature elm.

“The only chance of stopping the spread is to remove the tree.”

The tree is the latest elm to be cut down in Preston Park due to the disease.

A 400-year-old elm, one of the Preston Twins - the two oldest English elm trees in the world - is due to be felled later this month.

Dutch elm disease is a toxic fungus spread by beetles.

City council tree expert Neil Brothers said contaminated logs could spread from around Sussex to Brighton.

He said: “These logs may have been brought in from other parts of East Sussex where there has been a massive rise in trees becoming infected and subsequent logs becoming available,” he said.

“In recent years, there has also been a rapid increase in the number of woodburning stoves being sold in the area, increasing the risk of contaminated wood coming into the city.”

Meanwhile in Sheffield Park, near Uckfield, another ancient tree will be felled.

The park’s 120-year-old Monterey pine will be cut down this week as it has become a risk to the public.

It now has decaying fungi on its base and roots.

Tree adviser Tom Hill said it could be “blown over entirely” if it is not cut down.

The National Trust expert said: “The decay has reached a stage where we need to intervene to prevent it losing more branches or being blown over entirely.

“We have considered having aerial work done to the tree’s canopy to reduce its size, but we don’t feel this would be sustainable.”

Monterey pines, which originate from Mexico and California, usually live for 80 to 90 years.

But after more than a century in the park, rangers have made the decision to cut it down.

Tree expert Tom said: “We are all going to mourn the loss of this remarkable tree and we know how much it means to many of our visitors.

“Looking to the future, we are hoping to conserve all of the other Monterey pines in our collection.”

Work started on Monday and will continue in preparation of autumn.