Two more arrests over the destruction of the Sycamore Gap Tree

Two men in their 30s were arrested and released on bail on Tuesday in connection with the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree, the latest development in the investigation into who felled one of Britain’s most photographed trees, which dates back two centuries. a dip had stood in Hadrian’s wall.

The two additional arrests brought the total number of suspects to four, according to Northumbria Police. A 16-year-old boy and a farmer in his 60s, who were arrested in September, had also been released on bail.

The Sycamore Gap tree, about 100 miles south-east of Edinburgh, was felled during a storm with 60mph winds between September 27 and 28 in what police described as ‘a deliberate act of vandalism’. Reports of the destruction of the tree, which featured in the 1991 film ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’, sparked an outpouring of emotion from both those in the north-east of England and international tourists.

The police investigation was difficult because the crime took place in a remote, sparsely populated area, with no bystanders able to see the tree fall. It was also unclear what could have prompted someone to cut down the popular tree.

In Britain, police can only make arrests if they have “reasonable grounds” to suspect involvement in a crime. Arrested and released in September, farmer Walter Renwick, a former lumberjack, denied any responsibility before his arrest. told The Sun tabloid that it was a pity that the tree had been cut down.

Northumbria Police Chief Inspector Rebecca Fenney-Menzies said police had followed several leads to establish what had happened and who was involved. One fact was clear from the start: felling a tree of such size would require expertise, especially at night and during such a violent storm.

“The loss of Sycamore Gap has been deeply felt throughout the community, and beyond,” Inspector Fenney-Menzies said on Wednesday. “I hope this recent wave of arrests demonstrates the work that has been done by our dedicated specialist teams in what has been a very difficult and complex investigation to date.” She called on anyone with information to come forward.

The National Trust cut up and removed what was left of the tree last month. The tree stood along a slope in Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage site that at its height marks the northernmost border of the Roman Empire.