A FAMILY has taken on a tree-mendous project by turning a stump into a carved work of art.

Duncan and Cathy McEwan, of Middleton Tyas, have turned the tree stump into a castle turret.

The work came about when a 100-year-old Wellingtonia tree had to be cut down in the couple’s garden for safety reasons. The family were left with a 12ft-high stump and were unsure what to do with it.

The solution came from the couple’s two daughters, Charlotte, nine, and Sophie, seven, who decided they wanted a castle and sketched a turret design which they hoped the stump could be turned into.

Mr McEwan, of Wellington Lodge, Moulton Road, said: “The roots and the whole tree were very close to the house.We had a survey done and the surveyor said it should come down as it was about 35ft high and unsafe. It was cut down and we were left with a stump of about 12ft in height.

“Cathy was looking at the internet trying to come up with ideas about what to do with it. She came up with the idea of a carving and the girls said they’d like it to be a castle, so we got them to draw it and it went from there.”

With a design in place, the family found chainsaw sculptor Tommy Craggs, of Consett, County Durham.

Mr McEwan said: “He came along and had a look at the girls’ design and then put the scaffolding up. He used five chainsaws and spent 2½ weeks doing the work. I think it’s fantastic and everyone comes along to see it. People are awestruck by it and kids want to play in it as they think it’s a castle.”

The sculpture has not been hollowed out as to do so would make it too lightweight and liable to fall over. Mr McEwan plans to place a ladder against the turret to allow his children access to the ramparts.

The family is happy for youngsters in the village to take a look at the sculpture.