ONE of Wales’ oldest trees, found in a small village just outside of Brecon, has decided to have a late life sex change.

A male yew tree at Llanfeugan Church in Pencelli, believed to be 3,000 years old, has shocked villagers by suddenly producing berries.

Yews are typically dioecious, meaning they are one sex or the other.

Male trees have small cones that release clouds of pollen during breeding time with female trees having bright red berries.

Max Coleman, of the Royal Botanic Gardens, noticed Britain’s oldest tree, a Fortingall yew found in Scotland, had changed sex back in 2015.

His discovery made the news all across the globe.

Writing on his blog, Mr Coleman explained: “Odd as it may seem, yews, and many other conifers that have separate sexes, have been observed to switch sex.

“Normally, this switch occurs on part of the crown, rather than the entire tree changing sex.

“In the Fortingall yew, it seems that one small branch in the outer part of the crown has switched and now behaves as female.”

Llanfeugan Church is home to 12 yew trees, of which two are classified as ancient and seven as veteran.

Some believe the trees in the church yard were planted by Pagan Druids, pre-Christianity.