Sycamore Gap tree to be sliced up and moved away by crane | UK News

The beloved tree at Sycamore Gap in Northumberland will be lifted from Hadrian’s Wall later today, two weeks after it was cut down.

Visitors are being asked to stay away from the area as a crane prepares to pick up the centuries-old sycamore before it is transferred away.

Its stump will remain in place, as experts say new shoots could be generated which would, after a very long wait, grow to a similar size.

The National Trust, which runs the site, said it had been inundated with ideas for what to do with the felled tree.

While the entire trunk cannot be kept intact due to its shape, it will be divided into large sections in order to keep the options open.

Andrew Poad, the general manager of the site for the National Trust, said: ‘It’s currently in a precarious position resting on the wall, so it’s necessary we move it now, both to preserve the world-famous monument that is Hadrian’s Wall, and to make the site safe again for visitors.

‘We’ve explored every option for moving the tree and while it isn’t possible to lift it in one go, as the tree is multi-stemmed with a large crown, we have aimed to keep the trunk in as large sections as possible, to give us flexibility on what the tree becomes in future.’

The 50ft tree, regarded by many Northumbrians as an emblem of the area, was discovered felled on the morning of September 28.

It was one of the most photographed trees in the country, and became renowned around the world following its use in the Kevin Costner film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

In 2016, it won the Woodland Trust’s annual Tree of the Year competition for England. It is the third winner of that award to be cut down in less than a decade.

Northumbria Police arrested a 16-year-old boy and a man in his 60s over the incident. They have since been released on bail pending further investigation.

Mr Poad said: ‘We’ve been amazed and inspired by the offers of help and good wishes we’ve received from here in Northumberland, around the UK, and even from overseas.

‘It’s clear that this tree captured the imaginations of so many people who visited, and that it held a special – and often poignant – place in many people’s hearts.’

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