Two more men arrested over felling of world-famous Sycamore Gap tree
Another two men have been arrested in connection with the felling of the beloved Sycamore Gap tree beside Hadrian’s Wall, Northumbria Police have said.
Former lumberjack Walter Renwick, 69, and a 16-year-old boy had earlier been arrested over the incident before being released.
The latest two men to be questioned, who are both in their thirties, were both released on police bail.
Locals discovered the sycamore, regarded by many as a symbol of north-east England, cut down on the morning of September 28.
Northumbria Police believe the felling of the tree was a deliberate act of vandalism.
Last month, it was revealed that detectives were investigating specks of chainsaw oil left at the scene, which could provide a unique ‘fingerprint’ to lead them towards a suspect.
Detective Chief Inspector Rebecca Fenney-Menzies said: ‘The loss of Sycamore Gap has been felt deeply across the community as well as further afield.
‘As a force, we have seen many touching tributes from those who have detailed what this iconic landmark meant for them personally and for our region.
‘We’ve been working tirelessly to identify anyone responsible and bring them into police custody and we are committed to getting justice.’
She added: ‘I hope this recent wave of arrests demonstrates just how much work has been undertaken by our dedicated specialist teams in what has, so far, been a very difficult and complex investigation.’
After being released by police, Mr Renwick called social media speculation about his involvement in the felling ‘bloody ridiculous’.
He told the Mail: ‘It was a lovely tree, an iconic tree, but I mean, to go up there and cut that down – I’m not that stupid.’
The National Trust, which runs the site, removed the tree with a crane around three weeks ago, cutting it up to make it easier to manoeuvre.
There have been a massive number of suggestions sent in by members of the public for what to do with the wood from the sycamore, the charity said, including a memorial bench or a sculpture telling the story of the area.
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