OAK trees planted in memory of a North East naval hero are being given new homes as part of a project to protect a market town against another flooding catastrophe.

The 11 oaks took root alongside the River Wansbeck in Morpeth in 2005, when the town celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.

They were planted at High Stanners to honour the memory of Admiral Lord Collingwood, who completed the British fleet’s historic victory in the naval battle of 1805.

The trees were installed to mark Collingwood’s love of oak, in the town where he owned a house from 1791 to 1810 and often referred to fondly.

Now they are being uprooted and removed as part of preparatory work on the £21m project to improve Morpeth’s defences in the wake of the September 2008 catastrophe, when 1,000 homes and businesses were flooded.

Nine of the oaks are being moved to the grounds of five local schools, to maintain their heritage link. Two others are being removed because they are not in a suitable condition for relocation.

Yesterday representatives of the Environment Agency, Northumberland County Council, contractors Birse and local community leaders were present at High Stanners to watch the removal of the first of the oaks. It was taken to nearby Abbeyfields First School and re-planted with the help of pupils.

The others will be relocated at All Saints First, Chantry and Newminster Middle and Collingwood Schools during the half-term holiday.

About 13 other mature trees will also be taken down at High Stanners to allow work to go ahead on building new flood banks and defence walls to protect local homes.

Morpeth town councillor Ken Brown said: “Collingwood used to spread acorns around wherever he went in Morpeth, and these oak trees at High Stanners are regarded as part of his legacy.

“It’s sad that they can’t stay where they are, but it’s great that we’re not going to lose them.

“Re-planting them at the five schools is spreading a bit of the heritage around the town.”

Environment Agency operations manager, Alan Cadas, said the decision to save and re-plant the Collingwood Oaks had been taken after community consultations showed they were valued by local people.

“It is rare to do something like this as part of a flood scheme, because we would usually just take trees out and replace them with new stock.

“However, the Collingwood oaks have historical importance to the community, so we are making this effort to transplant them.”

Collingwood was dubbed “the Northumbrian who saved the nation” after taking over from the fatally-wounded Lord Nelson and routing the French and Spanish navy at Trafalgar. The oak trees were planted as part of a one-day festival held in Morpeth to mark the bi-centenary of the battle.