Claims extracted
20
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
10%
2 of 20 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
66/100
The Guardian's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
3
Environment
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
The “astonishing and bizarre” Bendy Tree in Northern Ireland has been crowned the winner of this year’s tree of the year competition.
asserted
Tree → crown → competition
The wych elm tree, located in Newcastle, County Down, owes its name to its near horizontal trunk, which has grown sideways owing to the strong seaside winds coming off the Irish Sea.
asserted
which → locate → Sea
The 150-year-old tree has resisted Dutch elm disease, a fungus that has destroyed most of the UK’s 30m elms, making it a worthy winner of the competition’s “against the odds” theme.
asserted
it → resist → theme
The tree was originally planted in the mid-19th century as part of a row of wych elms along the town’s promenade to shelter the main street from sea winds.
asserted
tree → plant → winds
Many of those trees were felled during redevelopments of the town, with the bendy tree now the last one standing.
asserted
tree → fell → one
“When you look at this astonishing and bizarre tree, there’s no doubt about what it has endured,” said May Chemais, ancient tree inventory lead for the Woodland Trust, the charity that runs the annual competition.
uncertain
that → look → competition
“We’ve all been through changes and hardships that have shaped who we are: I think that’s why the Bendy Tree has struck a chord with people,” she said.
asserted
she → shape → people
For John Martin, director of the Woodland Trust NI, it is the whimsical nature of the tree that makes it a worthy winner.
asserted
it → make → tree
Having grown up visiting Newcastle as a child, Martin recalls seeing the tree out of the corner of his eye and being surprised to see a tree growing this way.
asserted
tree → grow → eye
“You expect nature to behave in a certain way and we would expect a tree, most of the time, to grow upwards, whereas this one has grown sideways,” he said.
asserted
he → expect → time
“I guess it gives people a bit of a smile on their day.”
asserted
it → guess → day
The tree’s unusual shape has also provided welcome shade to residents and visitors resting on the bench located beneath its branches.
asserted
shape → provide → branches
“Older trees like this one are providing our communities with so much – from shade, wellbeing and health benefits, to stories, culture and pride of place,” said Chemais.
asserted
Chemais → provide → place
Other trees nominated in this year’s competition included the Crowhurst Yew in Crowhurst, Surrey, England.
asserted
trees → nominate → Crowhurst
Villagers hollowed out the trunk in 1820 to create a parish meeting room within the tree.
asserted
Villagers → hollow → tree
The roof of this room collapsed during a storm in 1845, but the tree lived on, with the wooden door to the secret room remaining to this day.
asserted
door → collapse → day
This tree is perched on top a 20-metre high church tower, with its existence pre-dating residents’ living memories.
asserted
existence → perch → memories
Last year’s honour went to a 75ft ash tree that shades homes on one of Glasgow’s busiest roads.
asserted
that → go → roads
The Woodland Trust has this week launched its Igniting Innovation competition for anyone aged 16 to 25 to share their ideas for projects that could benefit nature and make life better for woods, trees and people.
uncertain
life → launch → woods
Three winners will receive £5,000 in funding and up to a year of expert mentoring to bring their projects to life.
asserted
winners → receive → life
The Aporia
