Arrested Wellingborough tree protester vows 'I'll be back' after making a stand to save Walks lime avenue

Less than a week ago, 63-year-old Sherrelea Weber never imagined that she would ever be arrested after protesting for a cause she passionately believes in.

But on Wednesday she found herself in a cell at Kettering’s Weekley Wood Criminal Justice Centre, waiting to be interviewed and not knowing her fate.

As activists rallied to the cause of preventing the destruction of an avenue of Wellingborough lime trees, protest tactics spontaneously turned to disruption.

By standing in the way of vehicles, tree felling was postponed for 48 hours. Those present in the ‘work zone’ were issued with warnings they could face arrest.

But on day three of the clearance, Northants Police moved in to break the stalemate resulting in four defiant protesters being arrested, including Ms Weber.

She said: “The reason I was willing to be arrested was because I felt so strongly. I wanted to make a stand. I needed to make a stand. I remembered Ephesians ‘so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand’.

"I also remembered the Edmund Burke quote ‘the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing’.

“I’d definitely do it again. I wouldn’t want a criminal record but knowing what happened I would 100 per cent do it and we are still free to protest.”

Ms Weber, a landscaper and groundsperson, was arrested at about 2pm for aggravated trespass after crossing a sectioned off footpath under the control of construction workers, enforced by Northants Police.

Human rights campaign group Amnesty International UK expressed its deep concern after the arrests.

She said: “I’ve never been arrested before. The police were really professional. They put me straight in a cell. It was horrible, really horrible. They didn’t interview me until 7.30pm.

"From 2.45pm to 7.30pm I was in the cell. It was scary being in there, intimidating, especially when they shut the door. I was scared.”

Ms Weber was interviewed for half an hour by officers before being returned to her cell, managing to sleep for a while.

After being released with no further action, she returned to her Earls Barton home at 10.30pm. Three others who were arrested were dealt with by a community resolution disposal.

Despite her experience Ms Weber returned to London Road on Thursday to see where the trees have been removed and has promised to protest after seeing the felling.

She said: “I went back. It saddened me. It was an atrocity. I think the cutting down and the way they did it was brutal. It was their way of saying they could knock down 100 years of tree growth in minutes.

"It’s not over yet. They have taken 14 down so I’ll be back on Monday, I’ll be back to protest.”

She added: “The unity, camaraderie, passion, communication and working together to try and stop the felling of the lime trees was incredible to be a part of, despite the outcome.

"Each person gave so much of their time, not just on the site but working tirelessly behind the scenes to try to put a halt to the work being carried out.”