Core

Hey everyone, I live up near Sheffield and I've got a neighbour who owns a bit of farm land. I had a few fencing panels wanted burning from my garden and I asked if I could burn it in the field. Anyway he gave me permission to do it. In hindsight I should have realised it was a bit too dry and windy on the day and basically a few embers must have blown over and sparked in a hollow part of the tree near its base. I did put it out quite quickly but it did burn the bark on one side of the tree about a metre up which was very unfortunate. It is easy to say in hindsight even though I thought it was far enough away and genuinly didn't realise how strong the wind was. I did inform the owner and upon inspection they told me that I'd killed the tree. I was a bit suprised to hear this. I'm not a tree expert but having see an old ash tree struck and burnt by lightening 20 years ago, I know that tree is still there and going strong. But fast forward 6 months to spring and the tree has come out in green leaf and obviously aside from the black mark on one side of the base of the tree you wouldn't think there's anything wrong with it. Anyway the owner has now said he wants £10,000 for the damage i've caused to the tree. Now I'm not throwing my arms up in the air and absolving myself from responsibility in this case but I just wanted people's thoughts on that figure. I mean obviously it wasn't a deliberate act and at least for the moment the tree seems to be in good health. But without really having any idea to a value of a tree I think I'm just enquiring as to what people would value the tree at and whether you can ask for such a sum of money if a tree hasn't been damaged beyond repair. I appreciate any feedback.