Grandfather Paul Carter is hoping it will be third time lucky planting a tree to commemorate the birth of his grandson after vandals destroyed his two previous attempts.

After nine years, the taxi driver is hoping to finally find a safe home for the 2ft oak sapling he wants to plant in honour of his nine-year-old grandson Adam Carter.

Mr Carter, 64 said: “It’s a pity we have had to go through three attempts to do it, if it had been left where it was it would be seven feet high now.”

Vandals broke the first tree Mr Carter planted in Melksham Park and stole the second one which had fencing around it to protect it.

“I was outraged,” said Mr Carter. “It’s sad that when people try to enhance the community with trees and shrubs one or two vandals ruin it.”

Planting trees to commemorate events has become something of a tradition for Mr Carter, when his brother David died of cancer two years ago he planted a beech tree in Melksham Park.

He also planted a willow tree 14 years ago when his granddaughter Rebecca Carter was born, but that too suffered at the hands of vandals who snapped the branches off, however it survived and now stands 60ft tall.

“I’ve always been fascinated with trees,” said Mr Carter.

“I used to love climbing them when I was a child.”

“I hope when I kick the bucket one day someone will do it for me. I’ll put a little note in my will that they plant a tree in the park for me, so the kids can say ‘that’s granddad's tree’.”

A request has been made to the Friends of St Michael's Church, who Mr Carter is hoping will grant him permission to plant the sapling in the churchyard where he hopes the tree will be finally left to flourish.