PEOPLE gathered in a 101-year-old park yesterday to say goodbye to a group of trees which are facing the chop.

The 26 trees in North Lodge Park, Darlington, have been identified as either diseased or growing badly, and have to be cut down because they are a health and safety hazard.

Yesterday, on national Tree Dressing Day, people from the surrounding area went to the park to celebrate an ancient custom.

Children wrapped one of the healthy trees in tinsel and decorations in a symbolic gesture to thank the trees in the park, off Northgate, for providing shade, colour and clean air for the hundreds of people who enjoy them.

But the celebration, which was happening at parks across the country this weekend, was tinged with sadness because some of the oldest trees in the park will soon be chopped down.

The group of families was joined by Maureen Almond, the park's writer-in-residence, who was collecting old memories.

She said: "Some of the trees have to come down because they are diseased, but I am here to capture them in writing.

"I have been asking people what they remember of the park."

Children had also put the word "thank-you" in many different languages across the trees and fences.

Peter Sherry, a tree officer with Darlington Borough Council, said: "We walked around the park and I pointed out the trees that, unfortunately, have to be felled."

There are 227 trees in the park.