FORMER British Champion Thai Boxer Sarah Gibbs is replacing her gloves for a tree costume, in a different kind of fight.

The lone protester has committed to plant herself in peaceful protest outside Harrogate Borough Council Civic Centre every Friday, to call upon the council to protect a woodland which is a designated Asset of Community Value.

Rotary Wood is under threat of destruction by Harrogate Spring Water, now owned by global corporation Danone, who wish to expand their current bottle plant.

Sarah said: "If Harrogate Borough Council give the go ahead, they will not only enable more polluting plastic production, but they will contradict their habitat action plan in which they commit to ‘conserve, maintain, restore and enhance woodland in Harrogate...concentrating on extending and linking existing sites.’

"As a primary school teacher, the injustice of this angers me."