Ooty : Panic gripped the famous Government Botanical Gardens here on Monday, when a 150-ft-tall tree started burning after lightning struck it.

Some tourists and gardens workers ran away after the lightning and thunder and noticed the over 100-year-old ‘Monkey Puzzle tree’ burning from the top and flames going down into the trunk.

Despite rain and fire and rescue personnel trying to douse the fire, the inside of the trunk continued to burn, official sources said.