A chartered designer has a plan to create a central focus point in Maldon.

A majestic holm oak at St Peter’s Church yard was felled in January due to a fungal infection that meant it could topple at any time.

But Tony Claydon said: “The tree made the old stone church tower look beautiful, but without it you can see the brickwork on the side of the Plume Library building.

“Maldon has a lot to offer historically and we could turn it into a place that brings lots of tourists in.”