Warning of Sycamore Gap copycat as National Trust on alert with tree to be moved

11 October 2023 , 21:57

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National Trust staff are being told to keep an eye out for suspicious behaviour after Sycamore Gap was targeted by vandals (Image: PA)

National Trust officers have been warned about the possibility of copycat attacks after the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree.

Employees have been told to watch out for suspicious visitors after a vandal took a chainsaw to the iconic 300-year-old tree at Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland two weeks ago. Two people - a local ex-lumberjack and a 16-year-old boy - have since been arrested over the incident and released on bail.

Now the tree, said to be the UK's most photographed which has featured in the likes of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, is to be finally moved from the UNESCO-protected location where it has laid ever since it was felled in the early hours of September 28. A crane will remove the 50ft sycamore - which is so big it will have to have its branches removed - on Thursday after investigations finished at the site.

A full-scale investigation has been carried out at the ancient site (PA)

Seeds from the sycamore have also been collected in order to grow new saplings, while a protective barrier is to be erected around the stump. Scraps of bark have also been taken for forensic analysis as the investigation into the damage remains ongoing. Experts said they were "keeping options open" about where to go next, and are planning to survey the public on what should be done with the site.

Mike Innerdale, National Trust director for the North of England, said staff were being told to stay vigilant and “keep an eye out for suspicious behaviour” following the incident which has prompted widespread outrage across the country and beyond. He said: “The outpouring we’ve seen shows just how important the connection is between people and nature in its many forms and as we consider plans for this special tree, and this very special place, we’ll also look to harness that support for trees, landscapes and nature across the country, and use the sycamore as a symbol of recovery.”

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Last week, experts at Historic England confirmed that the felling of the tree also caused minor damage to Hadrian's Wall - a 1,900-year-old monument originally erected by the Romans marking the ancient border between England and Scotland. A spokesperson for the organisation said: “We appreciate how strongly people feel about the loss of the tree, and its impact on this special historic landscape, and will continue to work closely with key partners as this progresses.”

The investigation into the incident remains ongoing while members of the public are being urged to stay away from the site while the tree is removed.

Susie Beever