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Two men accused of felling the famous Sycamore Gap tree and allegedly causing thousands of pounds of damage are due to appear in court.
Daniel Graham, 38, and Adam Carruthers, 31, are accused of causing £622,191 worth of damage to the much-photographed tree and causing £1,144 worth of damage to Hadrian’s Wall, which is a Unesco World Heritage site.
There was a national outcry in September when the much-loved, centuries-old tree in rural Northumberland was found to have been cut down.
The tree, believed to have been one of the most photographed in the country, used to sit in a gap along Hadrian’s Wall and was a popular hotspot for tourists and walkers.
Its origins are believed to have dated back to medieval times and it has been excavated on two previous occasions – between 1908 and 1911 and again between 1982 and 1987 – when Roman remains linked to Hadrian’s Wall were found.
Northumberland National Park (NNP) said it had received 2,000 “heartfelt” messages from people from all around the world expressing sadness, and that it had been inundated with offers of help.
Previous court sketch shows two men accused of felling tree
A previous court sketch from their last hearing shows Adam Carruthers and Daniel Graham in the dock of Newcastle magistrates court.
Holly Evans12 June 2024 10:42
Why was the Sycamore Gap tree so significant?
The tree, believed to have been one of the most photographed in the country, used to sit in a gap along Hadrian’s Wall – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – in rural Northumberland and was a popular hotspot for tourists, walkers and others.
It is believed to have dated back to medieval times and has been excavated on two occasions – between 1908 and 1911 and again between 1982 and 1987, when Roman remains linked to Hadrian’s Wall were found.
The sycamore perhaps first became known around the globe after featuring in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman and Alan Rickman.
Holly Evans12 June 2024 10:05
Sycamore Gap tree given new life at top-secret lab
In case you missed this piece from March:
Shoots from the rescued seeds and twigs of the Sycamore Gap have sprung up in a secret National Trust laboratory, fuelling hopes the iconic tree will regrow after it was cut down with a chainsaw.
Scientists acted fast, grabbing young cuttings thrown to the ground when the tree fell before whisking them off to a high-security Devon greenhouse guarding genetic copies of the UK’s most precious plants.
Five months on in the lab which keeps its exact location shrouded in mystery, tiny shoots are regrowing with nine grafted plants and 50 seedling clones that could be used as back-up in case the stump doesn’t regrow naturally.
Read the full article here:
Holly Evans12 June 2024 09:59
Welcome to our live blog
Welcome to our live coverage as two men appear in court charged with felling the Sycamore Gap tree last September.
We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates here
Holly Evans12 June 2024 09:51
