An act of vandalism a couple of years ago has finally got the better of a century-old tree in Whanganui's Kowhai Park.
Somebody took an axe to the Washingtonia palm, but rather than remove it altogether Whanganui District Council parks staff decided to leave the tree to see if could recover.
However, parks officer Claire Lilley says the palm has to be removed because it has become weaker and now poses a serious risk to the public.
In recent days someone has put a poster up on the palm which says: "Save me. The council wants to cut me down. Surely there is somebody clever enough to build a brace or sleeve strong enough to save my life. I am 100 years old and part of the city's landscape."
A Chronicle correspondent said a brace of some sort might be "an inelegant solution, but surely someone can come up with an idea".