An ancient fallen oak tree has been given a new lease of life as a carved bench at Blenheim thanks to the artistic skills of a chainsaw artist.

The 500-year-old oak came down beside a footpath in the Oxfordshire UNESCO World Heritage Site’s High Park during the recent strong winds and was found to have root rot.

The forestry team decided to leave it in place as fallen trees contribute to the biodiversity of the parkland, and provide a habitat for a range of insects and small mammals.

As it was located so close to a footpath, the team commissioned chainsaw artist Matthew Crabb to transform it into a bench which visitors can use to rest, relax and get their woodland wellness fix.

The design for the bench features giant oak leaves, based on the surroundings, while the majority of the fallen tree has been left untouched to encourage wildlife to live in it.

The finished oak tree bench in High Park on the Blenheim estate. Picture: Pete Seaward

The finished oak tree bench in High Park on the Blenheim estate. Picture: Pete Seaward

Blenheim’s head forester Nick Baimbridge said: “Each of our ancient oaks has an extraordinary tale to tell and we wanted to celebrate this particular tree’s legacy by transforming it into a place where visitors to High Park can sit and contemplate the world."

“Matthew’s skills really are incredible and he has created a truly stunning work of art that looks amazing and really fits into its wider woodland setting,” he added.

Based in Somerset, Mr Crabb works mainly on large scale wood sculptures, and has won a series of awards for his work.

The Blenheim bench took about 50 hours for him to complete.

Mr Crabb said: “Every wooden sculpture that I create is part of a progression that inspires the next."

Champion chainsaw artist Matthew Crabb at work on the fallen oak tree in High Park on the Blenheim estate. Picture: Pete Seaward

Champion chainsaw artist Matthew Crabb at work on the fallen oak tree in High Park on the Blenheim estate. Picture: Pete Seaward

“Each work of art is inspired by the particular properties and characteristics of the wood I am working with – therefore no two pieces are ever the same,” he added.

The Blenheim estate is home to the largest collection of ancient oaks in Europe with some trees believed to date back more than 1,000 years in age.

High Park was originally created by King Henry I as a deer park for hunting in the 12th century.

Around 90 per cent of the woodland is made up of oak trees and it is thought that at least 60 of these oaks date back to the middle ages.