Developers accidentally axe murdered presenter's tree
A tree planted in Exeter in memory of popular south west radio and television presenter Jill Dando, murdered on her doorstep in London in 1999, has been chopped down by developers.
The tree was planted by her colleagues at BBC Radio Devon the year following her death. It appears to have been cut down by mistake.
Ms Dando began her broadcasting career at what was then the Exeter-based radio station in the mid-80s, before moving onto the BBC's south west regional news show Spotlight. Quickly a television favourite, she moved to BBC Television Centre in West London to present the six o'clock news and other network shows. Her star in the ascendency, she later anchored travel show Holiday and then Crimewatch.
The BBC left its purpose built studios at Walnut Gardens on St David's Hill three years ago and it is now being demolished and replaced with student flats. A gym and cinema for the students are included too. The original developer didn't respond to the BBC's requests for a statement about how the wrong tree was identified as the memorial. The new developer says it plans to plant a new tree in Ms Dando's honour. The original intention was to move the memorial tree as part of a landscaped 'reading' garden.
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