In the Northumberland National Park in the north of England, a 16-year-old teenager has been arrested for destroying a 300-year-old iconic tree, which is known worldwide for its “participation” in the 1991 film “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves”.
The incident received widespread publicity and provoked widespread outrage as the teenager was released on bail, The Independent reported.
The so-called Gap sycamore tree was cut down on the night of 28 September. The head of the local police station, Kim McGuinness, said the action appeared to be a “deliberate act of vandalism”.
Sycamore Gap was voted tree of the year by the Woodland Trust in 2016. The organization regards the loss of this tree as an “irreparable loss”. It was one of the UK’s most photographed trees. Experts estimate it is about 300 years old.
“Minutes to cut down and centuries to grow again, if it ever does,” experts lament.
A crowdfunding platform has already raised £1700 to restore the tree, which epitomized the “spirit of Northumberland”. What is left of the iconic tree may produce new shoots, but it will never be the same again.
Investigations into the case are ongoing and police said the suspect has been released on bail pending the outcome of the investigation.
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