[tagwex]

This shrub is in my parents garden and has suffered some damage recently. My father thinks it is lightning damage but I doubt it.

[Greengage]

Ilex aquifolium silver queen, it could be Salt damage if your near the sea, Have closer look branch could be broken, Spray drift, Silver queen is Male maybe its sad looking for a female Blight ??

[kindredspirit]

Dunno what it is but I'd just cut out the whole branch and then see.

[tagwex]

15 plus miles from the sea. I doubt very much if it is spray drift.

[Greengage]

I was thinking more like herbicide.

[Blowin]

Not Donegal Dry Rot? We've had a North Westerly wind.

[Sue Deacon]

Is it just the one branch?

[tagwex]

"Donegal dry rot". There are a few things that I can think of that are rotten in Donegal alright! Are you a week late with the April fools Blowin?

Just the one branch Sue.

[tippben]

If it's local then it is surely not anything airborne like herbicides or salt. If it was, a whole side of the tree would be affected. Unless you've annoyed the neighbours and you came outside before they had a chance to spray any more... Seriously though, my best guess is physical damage which has interrupted the flow of sap. Other than that, a leaf blight or a virus transmitted by insects. I've never seen anything like this on Holly. I'd cut the branch off, burn it, then sterilise my pruning saw blade with meths set alight.

[Sue Deacon]

That's my thinking too. Hopefully you can cut it out before it goes any further.

Check around the base for any 'bootlaces', unlikely to be Honey Fungus as the holly is a dense wood and not susceptible, but you never know.