Environmentalists on Friday (March 12) claimed a partial victory in their efforts to prevent a tree from being felled in southwest London.

Protesters have been occupying the 100-year-old tree in York Gardens in Wandsworth since February 22.

According to the filmer of this video, the tree is due to be removed to allow "regeneration works" in the area.

Tree surgeons on Friday began work to chop down the black poplar but suddenly decided to down tools and walked off the job leaving the tree still standing.

Environmentalists celebrated the fact that they had saved the tree but warned that another company of tree surgeons would likely be called in to finish the job.

Environmentalists today claimed partial victory as the high court ruled granted a repossession order to remove a "tree protestor" from a 100 year old black poplar tree standing in York Gardens, south west London, and to fell it to allow regeneration works to continue.

Tree surgeons began work to start felling the tree and in a dramatic turn of events, downed tools and walked out leaving the job uncompleted.

Protesters have occupied the tree since 22nd February to prevent its felling.