TESTS carried out on the threatened Lucombe oak in Crewkerne are understood to have found it is stable enough to be saved.

Town councillors meeting next Monday are due to receive the results of tests carried out last week and decide if the tree should stay standing.

The future of the tree was called into doubt when it was branded a health and safety hazard after a fungus infection was found in its roots in January.

Campaigners succeeded in getting the council to take a second opinion, resulting in last Thursday's tests.

As well as looking at the findings of how likely the tree is to tip in strong winds, members are due to take advice from the council's insurers and consider implications, if any, for the proposed Henhayes Sports and Community Centre planning application.

It is believed initial indications of the test show the tree is safe enough to remain.

Town council property and projects officer Jed Dunn said: "On Thursday 25 June Treeworks Environmental Practice carried out the 'pull test' on the Lucombe oak with the aid of climbers from Devon Tree Services and a mobile anchor point supplied by the town council.

"A series of pulls were taken in two different directions, south westerly and north westerly, and the readings recorded.

"The initial assessment was made by Paul Muir of Treework and further calculations still have to be made to allow for wind variances."

Bristol-based Treework Environmental Practice is the only arboricultural consultancy in the UK which can carry out the test, developed in Germany more than 20 years ago.

It was carried out with help of Andreas Detter of a German consultancy visiting the UK for the Arboricultural Association show in Cirencester.

Mr Muir said: "During the test a static load is applied to the tree using a manual wire rope grip winch. The reaction to the load applied is measured using high resolution instruments which measure the compression and tension in the outside wood fibres and movement of the root plate."