WHEN a much-loved large old oak tree had to be felled in the grounds of a nursing home, the discarded wood was put to good use.

Staff at Dunkirk Memorial House, at Sandhill, Bishops Lydeard, commissioned wood sculptor Matt Crabb to create two pieces of artwork.

Matt - who crafted the griffin sculpture in High Street, Taunton - got his creative juices going and made a stag statue.

He also sculpted an eagle and squirrel, which have been mounted on the original tree trunk.

Residents, staff and visitors at the Royal British Legion home for veterans are voting on a name for the stag statue, which will be revealed at a naming ceremony next Thursday (August 24).

Home deputy manager Theresa Andrews said: "It was good to see the creative re-purposing of a much loved ancient oak."