The 'Bendy Tree' in Newcastle, Northern Ireland, has won this year’s UK Tree of the Year contest.
The wych elm in Co Down, is the first tree in Northern Ireland to be crowned the winner of the Woodland Trust’s annual competition.
A public poll ran from July to September, with people choosing their favourite from a shortlist of 10 trees.
Each tree had survived some kind of adversity in line with this year’s theme: "Against all odds".
A much-loved feature of Newcastle’s seaside promenade, the Bendy Tree has weathered extreme coastal gusts - apparent from its horizontal trunk - for more than 150 years.
The tree was planted as part of a row of wych elms along the town’s original promenade around the mid-19th century but is now the last one standing after many were felled during redevelopments in the 1980s.
It has also survived Dutch elm disease.
The tree, whose canopy casts shade for locals who can sit on the town centre bench underneath its branches, received 30% of public votes, the Woodland Trust said.
A different yew - Culmstock Yew in Devon – was shortlisted because of its location after growing at the top of the church tower overlooking Culmstock Village for some 200 years.
Others included the 150-year-old Balloch Castle ash, standing on the lawn of the semi-derelict castle by Loch Lomond, which has experienced a lightning strike, multiple storms, ash dieback and footfall from millions of visitors.
The Bollihope Burn Birch in Co Durham is perched precariously off a cliff in an area once dominated by industry, quarries, lime kilns, mines and a goods railway.
The 'Preston Twin' in Brighton - likely the world's oldest English elm - has lived four centuries despite the threat of Dutch elm disease, which killed another specimen of the same age that stood nearby.
European Tree of the Year competition
As the winner, the Bendy Tree will represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year finals next year.
"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 at the Woodland Trust.
"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.
"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."