SADDENED school children have written heartfelt letters in a bid raise awareness about an 800-year-old oak tree which was set alight.

Firefighters were called to Old Knobbley, in Furze Hill Woods in Mistley last week after a fire was started deliberately.

It was the latest in a series of fires over the years, raising fears for the popular tree’s future.

Pupils from Mistley Norman Church of England Primary School visit the ancient tree several times a year and were upset to hear about the arson.

Karen Manning, teacher, said: “We believe our local environment plays an important part in the children’s learning across the curriculum.

“Following the fire that damaged Old Knobbley the children clearly had strong feelings about what had happened and asked if they could write some messages to let people know how they felt.

“The children are very proud of their school values and have shown this by having the courage to speak out about their feelings on something that belongs to their community through writing which is full of compassion, thankfulness and forgiveness.”

Charlie Goodfellow, seven, said: “I feel upset because he was a very old tree and a good tree, I liked him so much. I really am heartbroken.”

Paige Deadman, six, said she felt distressed because the tree cheers her up when she feels sad.

She said: “I am going to say to the people who destroyed Old Knobbley please be careful because it is silly to take candles into Old Knobbley.

“Please don’t do it again because he is special and we visit him a lot and if it was gone we wouldn’t be able to paint, draw, measure or do anything we needed to do with it.”