Un-be-leaf-able! Meet the wonky winner crowned the UK's Tree of the Year

There's been a twist in the race to find the UK's Tree of the Year.

A 150-year-old wych elm in Northern Ireland has been crowned the winner of this year's competition, thanks to its unusually curved trunk.

Nicknamed the "Bendy Tree" by locals, it grows along a promenade in Newcastle in County Down.

It got its distinctive shape as a result of strong winds blowing in from the Irish Sea.

The Bendy Tree beat nine other entries to claim the Tree of the Year title.

The annual competition, run by the Woodland Trust, celebrates amazing trees all over the UK.

This year's theme was "Against All Odds", celebrating those that have survived tough conditions and found ways to keep growing.

Among this year's shortlist was a tiny yew that has been growing out of the stonework of a 20-metre-high Devon church tower for 200 years.

No one really knows how it got there, but reports suggest a seed could have been accidentally mixed into mortar during repairs or been carried by a bird.

There was also an ash tree in Scotland that survived being struck by lightning, as well as a 4,000-year-old yew in Surrey.

Not only did this yew tree survive being hit by a cannonball, but it also once had a room inside it with tables, chairs and a door.

But this year's voters chose the "Bendy Tree" from County Down to claim the top prize.

The wych elm is the last remaining tree of a row that was planted along Newcastle's original promenade in the 19th Century to shelter people from the sea breeze.

Years of strong winds have pushed its trunk almost sideways, giving it its curved shape.

Today, its leafy branches stretch over the path, providing shade for people enjoying the promenade - meaning it's still offering shelter, just in a different way.

It's the first time that a tree in Northern Ireland has won the title.