The 150-year-old Lebanese cedar would have lived until it was 300

Tesco began chopping down the 150-year-old Lebanese Cedar next to its store in Slough, Berkshire, on Sunday.

Environmental protesters have staged a long-running campaign to save the tree, which they say is an important local landmark and will live until it is 300.

Tesco was scheduled to fell the tree on 2 January but is believed to have begun earlier to avoid a major protest.

This is a real tragedy for the people of Slough Trish Whitham

Organiser Trish Whitham told BBC News: "This is terrible, I feel absolutely shocked.

"We had been told it was being chopped down on 2 January and were planning on camping out overnight and members of the Sikh community had volunteered to sit in the branches.

"This is a real tragedy for the people of Slough.

Tesco wouldn't remove a tree for little or no reason Tesco spokesperson

"The tree was home to a huge flock of starlings that roost there every night so I don't know where they are going to go now."

A Tesco spokesperson said: "Tesco has a vested interest in having an attractive site and naturally wouldn't remove a tree for little or no reason.

"The tree is primarily being removed to allow a new pedestrian walkway to be built between the Tesco site and Queensmere Shopping Centre.

"The new link will greatly enhance shopper circulation in Slough town centre, offering long term economic benefits to other traders and the town as a whole."