Harrogate's tradition of cherry blossom trees turning avenues pink across the Stray in spring has been saved following a public outcry.

Residents had feared that 50-year-old cherry trees would be replaced by a different species to give a "golden" look to the town's 200 acres of grassland.

Harrogate Borough Council's new cabinet member for leisure, Councillor Pat Jones, who represents the Stray ward, said: "The idea that our famous cherry trees should be replaced with a different variety of trees has been firmly hit on the head.

"When cherry trees need replacing they will be replaced with cherry trees, not something else."

Suggestions that the cherry trees, planted to commemorate the Queen's coronation and as individual memorials, could be replaced by species including yellow ash, limes and sycamores have been rejected by the cabinet member.

The Stray is owned by the Duchy of Lancaster and managed by Harrogate Borough Council. Its green status is protected by an Act of Parliament.

The cherry blossom footpaths run from Leeds Road and Tewit Well to York Place.

The latest idea to change them brought strong protests from the public and the Stray Defence Association.

"There is widespread support to keep the Stray firmly in the pink and not drift into the golden touch which had been suggested," said Coun Jones.

"I am not surprised that the public reacted with disbelief that it was even considered to end the cherry tree tradition," she said.