Response from Tooth's Garden Services
I am sincerely sorry about your tree.
I worked in your garden Aug 2024 and very slightly touched the tree in question.
I have consulted 2 impartial professional arborists regarding the apple Tree with the photos you sent.
Here is the reply I have received.
"It is possible that the heat combined with a variety of other factors could have killed it. But as it is such a mature tree it probably would not be the strimmer damage that has killed it.
Trees have naturally been drying out over the last few years with the number of heatwaves, so we would suggest that was the problem."
The other tree specialist I consulted agrees with this conclusion as well