A half-cut fir tree in Sheffield continues to draw visitors five years after it was sliced in half by angry neighbours. Bharat Mistry, 61, was devastated in 2021 when Irene and Graham Lee cut off half the branches of his beloved 16ft tree following a year-long dispute. The tree, which had stood for 25 years, became a global sensation after the incident. Now, Mistry says the neighbours are on speaking terms again, but the tree has become a unique tourist attraction, even attracting people who want to hug it.
Ongoing Attraction
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star, Mistry said: 'So many people keep coming and looking at it. We still get people driving up to it and people even hug it.' The tree, located on the drive of Mistry's home in the Sheffield suburb of Waterthorpe, has been tagged as a landmark on Google Maps, with visitors leaving reviews. One reviewer quipped: 'Should have given this five stars but I've cut my review in half and rounded up.' Another wrote: 'I was torn between visiting London, its monuments and bridges, or discovering the Half Tree in Sheffield… and I absolutely don't regret my choice. My 9-year-old daughter had never seen anything like it.'
Neighbour Relations
Mistry explained that relations with the neighbours have improved: 'We're just talking with the neighbours to say hello, but other than that it's still the same. We're not at loggerheads about anything and the tree is still the same, it's still half a tree.' He added that the tree has not grown back: 'It's still growing and it's not dead, it's just stayed the same since they took the other half away. It's never grown back. We just say hello to them, nothing more than that really. I'm fine with that and they are.'
Background of the Dispute
The tree had stood for 25 years before the Lees took drastic action in June 2021. Mistry said the families had previously got on fine with no issues over the tree, which overhung both drives in the leafy suburb. However, after the Lees complained about nesting birds making noise and fouling on their drive, they called in tree surgeons who chopped it perfectly in half, sparking global headlines. The tree continues to attract rubberneckers to the quiet cul-de-sac, where houses sell for around £220,000. Mistry noted that visitors still come, especially when football is on.
