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ECO-WARRIORS dug-in to protect a 300-year-old beech tree in Mansfield Woodhouse were evicted on Monday in a massive operation by police and bailiffs.
Five protesters were eventually arrested when dozens of police officers and High Court enforcement officers swooped on the Sherwood Rise site at dawn and ejected them from the tree houses and underground tunnels they have called home for the last 15 months.
The final protester, a 23-year-old known as 'Gazebo', was pulled from his hide-out two metres below ground more than eight hours after the raid began — and the historic tree was finally felled.
Police chiefs and bailiffs said the eviction went smoothly and been a complete success, but their tactics have been slammed by campaigners and local residents.
Protester Ben Hartley (29), who has been living at the site for much of the last 15 months, told Chad: "They just came charging in while we were asleep.
"In my opinion their actions were unsafe — they wouldn't let health and safety people in and wouldn't let us in to talk to the remaining protesters."
Campaigners have been living at the site since September 2003, attempting to save the ancient tree from the chop in what is believed to be one of the longest-running environmental protests in Nottinghamshire history.
The campaign centred on the controversial plans by Bellway Homes to build more than 270 houses on the old Sherwood Colliery site.
Local residents and activists united to condemn the proposals — which called for the chopping down of the beech tree to widen the road junction between Sherwood Rise and Debdale Lane.
Eco-warriors 'took possession' of the tree last September when they set up camp in a tree house 60ft above the ground and built a labyrinth of underground tunnels.
But at the end of last month Bellway Homes got the green light to fell the tree and a warrant to enforce it was handed to High Court enforcement officer Richard Bullock.
Mr Bullock, pictured below, told Chad: "We have been planning the operation with police for six months. It went very smoothly and I was pleased how quickly we managed to get into the trees and restrain the protesters."
A total of 31 enforcement officers and police arrived at around 8.30am on Monday and after cordoning off the area announced the writ on loudspeakers.
One protester left voluntarily and three were arrested during the morning for obstructing court officers.
Mr Bullock said: "We had to be very careful with the one remaining individual because he was underground and telling officers he had a noose around his neck."
Once 'Gazebo' had been safely pulled from the tunnel at around 5.25pm, the tree was felled and a massive clean-up operation began to secure the site.
But locals living near Sherwood Rise have hit out at what they called 'heavy-handed' police tactics, and motorists faced chaos with Debdale Lane closed to traffic on Monday and yesterday.
"The number of police involved does seem over the top considering there only a few protesters on the site," Paul Walker (44), of Debdale Lane, told Chad.
"The campaigners have not really been any trouble — the only time I noticed them was when I could smell them cooking in the evenings."
Chief Insp Simon Nickless said the police operation was to support High Court enforcement officers and had included officers from across the county and not just Mansfield.
- David Thomas (32), of no fixed abode; Daniel Wilson (26), of Dennor Drive, Mansfield Woodhouse; Robert Buchanan (26), of Nine Ladies Stone Circle, Stanton Moor, Derbyshire, and Gareth Williams (25), of no fixed abode, have all been charged with resisting a court officer and were bailed to appear before Mansfield magistrates on 13th December. Another man, who has not been named, was arrested for a separate offence and has been bailed pending enquiries.
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