Campaigners fighting to protect a beloved cedar tree appear to have hit a dead end in their bid to stop it being felled.

The 400-year-old cedar in All Saints' Church's grounds was due to be removed on October 4, after experts hired by the church concluded it had the incurable fungal infection Phaeolus schweinitzii.

However, it was given a stay of execution after locals formed a human shield for almost four hours to stop it being cut down.

The tree has stood for over 400 yearsThe tree has stood for over 400 years (Image: Laurie MacDonald) The campaign has continued in recent weeks, with residents raising £400 to pay for a comprehensive test by an independent tree surgeon.

While they had hoped this inspection would provide the evidence needed to force a U-turn, the experts findings has dealt a blow to campaigners.

The outcome of the investigation was revealed over the weekend, with the report confirming that the tree does need to be felled.

Campaigner Ryan White described the diagnosis as "not pleasant", writing in an update to supporters: "The tree is diseased and shown to be in an advanced state of decay. While this result may seem similar to the one previously supposed, this was a much more in-depth and detailed look at the makeup of the tree."

He added: "Even though the outcome is less than favourable, the process and transparency with which the new test was undertaken serve to prove to the community that every effort was made to do what can be done for the tree, instead of trusting blank documents and unknown sources."

All Saints’ Church wardens had welcomed the independent assessment, stating that they were happy for it to go ahead to "put people's minds at ease".

In a statement last month, they said that “sadly” the infection has caused “significant internal decay” which means the tree poses a safety risk to the public.

To soften the blow, the church has offered assurances that a replacement tree will be planted in its place, although activists have continued to stress the historical value of the existing cedar.

The church had previously dismissed claims that the felling of the tree could make way for the development of a 5G mast.