A cedar tree dating back to the 1850s has been transformed into a prayer sculpture after being felled in Somerset.

The tree, which stood at North Petherton Cemetery near Bridgwater, was cut down on safety grounds after storms in recent years raised concerns about falling branches and damage to nearby infrastructure.

The town council said it had to act after a similar tree in the cemetery brought down power lines during bad weather.

Rather than removing the entire tree, around 20 metres of the trunk was left standing, and the idea of creating a carving was put forward.

Local tree carver Tim Pearn was commissioned to complete the work, turning the remaining trunk into a sculpture of two hands pressed together in prayer.

He says he is pleased the project has given the tree a new purpose. “I think it’s really nice that we’ve been able to reinvent a tree that otherwise would have been cut down,” he said. “Members of the public kept coming up saying how beautiful it was. I’ve found it quite overwhelming.”

North Petherton Town Council said councillors had considered a number of design ideas before settling on the praying hands, which they said is widely understood as a symbol of “reverence, respect and greeting”.

A spokesperson said the decision to fell the tree had been taken reluctantly, but was necessary for safety reasons.

Pearn said the carving, which took around five days to complete, was his favourite piece of work because it is displayed in a public space where people can easily see it.

He added that the idea had taken several months to plan, with careful consideration given to the design and its longevity.

The sculpture now stands among other trees and gravestones in the cemetery, where the original cedar once stood.