Volunteers have been helping with the ongoing conservation of the ancient King John Oak, in Shute.

Midweek Herald: Shute's ancient King John Oak. Picture Legacy to LandscapeShute's ancient King John Oak. Picture Legacy to Landscape (Image: Archant)

There are fears that the 900-year-old tree may never fully recover after suffering recent leaf loss.

The medieval oak is situated within a former royal deer park, now private farm land. It has an enormous girth of 10.4 metres and is a biosphere of plant, insect and animal life.

Volunteers, aged from six, used a variety of tools to de-bramble the area around the trunk of the tree and flatten bracken beneath its crown.

Following the workshop Graham Jones, a local tree expert, led a free walk through the former deer park to the tree.

Both events were organised by Legacy to Landscape, funded in part by East Devon AONB.

Pete Youngman, project officer said: " We have been truly delighted by the response from local people who have given up their time to help conserve this magnificent tree and to be able see it responding to this care and attention is really pleasing."