An historic landmark which has stood tall in Old Town for 160 years will disappear this weekend.

One of the two giant copper beech trees outside the Museum is due to be felled on Sunday.

To allow the work to take place the road will be closed and diversions set up.

For the last year the tree, on the corner of Bath Road and Victoria Road, has been infected with two types of fungi and if it is not chopped down, it will eventually topple over.

Geoff Lewis, of Swindon Con-tractors and Recreation Services, said: "The decision to fell the tree has not been taken lightly.

"At Swindon Council we are aware that after 160 years this tree is of historic and indeed environmental significance.

"We are saddened that this work must be carried out."

The tree will be taken down piece by piece by from 7am and the work is expected to take most of the day.

George Reade, Swindon Coun-cil's arboricultural officer, who looks after all the trees in the borough, discovered the fungi a year ago. He said: "One of the fungi is Meripilus giganteus which causes very rapid root decay.

"The other is Garioderna also a cause of root decay but which is slower-acting.

"After 12 months of investigation and consultation we realised we could no longer guarantee public safety and made the decision to fell the tree.

"It will make an enormous difference to the appearance of the area and we are all very sad that it must go."

He guessed the tree was planted 160 years ago at the same time the museum was built with a formula using the tree's circumference.

A more accurate date will be known once the tree is felled.

Part of the tree will be preserved a woodturner has been commissioned to make an item out of the timber which will be kept at Swindon Museum, although it has not yet been decided what it will be.

And a ring will be cut out of the trunk at the request of the museum, as a keepsake.

But the rest of the wood is likely to be dumped because most timber merchants are not interested in single trees.

Swindon councillor Mike Baw-den (Con, Old Town and Lawn) has pledged to raise money for a new tree next year.

"This beech is one of the environmental delights of Old Town," he said

"While it will be sad to see it go, public safety is paramount, and I look forward to seeing a healthy semi-mature copper beech tree there in its place."