A man in his 60s who was taken into custody on suspicion of damaging the world-famous Sycamore Gap tree has been released on bail. The landmark, which was situated next to Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland and believed to be around 300 years old, was chopped down overnight on Wednesday. Northumbria Police confirmed the man’s arrest on Friday, while a 16-year-old boy, who was arrested the next day on charges of criminal damage, was later released on bail. The investigation is ongoing, according to the authorities.
Police were still present at the site on Friday and into the weekend, with forensic officers gathering samples and measuring the remaining material surrounding the fallen tree. The tree grew in a natural depression near Hexham and featured in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, which starred Kevin Costner. Both the National Trust and Northumberland Park Authority looked after it.
Brian Blessed, who played the role of Robin Hood and a veteran British actor, urged park officials to plant a new tree near the toppled Sycamore Gap landmark. According to National Trust Manager Andrew Poad, the stump was healthy, and there is a possibility that they may be able to coppice the tree, where new shoots grow from the trunk’s base. Mark Feather, an estate manager at The Woodland Trust, stated that it would take only a few years for the new shoots to grow enough to replace the old tree properly.
The Sycamore Gap tree had to be cut down by the National Trust because the site was designated a Unesco World Heritage site. Officials reported that they appreciated the many offers of assistance they received following the incident, but it was critical to remember that the area was an ancient monument, and adding to it could harm the archaeology and be unlawful without prior government authorization
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