The sycamore was notable for being next to the Roman-era Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage site in northeast England. It had featured in Kevin Costner’s 1991 blockbuster film ‘Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves’.

Each year, thousands of visitors walk along Hadrian’s Wall. Many had stopped there to admire and photograph the tree at Sycamore Gap.

Locals and conservationists reacted with outrage at the deliberate destruction of the tree.

Photographs from the scene on early Thursday showed that the tree was cut down near the base of its trunk, with the rest of it lying on its side.

“Northumberland National Park Authority can confirm that sadly, the famous tree at Sycamore Gap has come down overnight,”  the local police said in a statement.

“We have reason to believe it has been deliberately felled,” said the police. “We are working with the relevant agencies and partners with an interest in this iconic North East landmark and will issue more details once they are known.”

According to AFP, the sycamore, which won the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year in 2016, was reduced to a short stump, with the rest of the tree dumped on the wall. 

The Northumberland National Park authority asked the public not to visit the felled tree.

The tree has been an important and iconic feature in the landscape for nearly 200 years and means a lot to the local community, said National Trust general manager Andrew Poad, according to AFP report.

AFP quoted Superintendent Kevin Waring as saying: “the events of today have caused significant shock, sadness and anger throughout the local community and beyond.”

Hadrian’s Wall is a 73-mile (118-kilometre) stone wall crossing England from the west to east coast.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Updated: 29 Sep 2023, 12:41 AM IST