Who Cut Down One Of The Oldest, Most Famous Trees In The UK? And Why?

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People look at the tree at Sycamore Gap, next to Hadrian's Wall, in Northumberland which has come down overnight after being
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People look at the tree at Sycamore Gap, next to Hadrian’s Wall, in Northumberland which has come down overnight after being “deliberately felled,” the Northumberland National Park Authority has said

An iconic tree next to Hadrian’s Wall was discovered cut in two this morning, having been mysteriously felled – prompting a wave of confusion and heartbreak online.

As one of the UK’s most photographed trees, it used to stand as a solitary bit of foliage in the Sycamore Gap, until last night.

The exact age of the tree was not known, but it was estimated to be at least several centuries old.

It became famous after appearing in the 1991 Kevin Costner film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

It was also voted English Tree of the Year in 2016, and was looked after by both the Northumberland national park and the National Trust.

Police have now launched a full investigation, in what officers believe is a deliberate act of vandalism.

The Northumberland national park authority confirmed the tree had been cut down overnight, adding: “We have reason to believe it has been deliberately felled.

“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.”

The public have been asked not to visit the area near Crag Lough while the investigation is ongoing.

Police and crime commissioner for Northumbria, Kim McGinness, said:  “I’m devastated that the famous Sycamore is gone.

“I am incandescent that this looks like a deliberate act of vandalism. That tree was ours. An iconic North East landmark.”

She wasn’t the only one expressing heartbreak over the incident on social media today, either.