Two men arrested over the deliberate felling of the Sycamore Gap Tree

Police investigating the vandalism of the world famous Sycamore Gap Tree have revealed that two more people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

It follows the tree being deliberately felled overnight between September 27 and 28, with officers stating they believe it to be a deliberate act of vandalism.

Since the incident, Northumbria Police has been carrying out a number of inquiries, with the support of partners, as officers work to build the full circumstances surrounding the damage and identify anyone involved.

On Tuesday, October 31, police arrested two men, both in their 30s, in relation to the incident - they have since been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Detective Chief Inspector Rebecca Fenney-Menzies, of Northumbria Police, has reassured the public that the Force is working to catch those responsible.

She 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.

“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.”

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Northumbria Police are still appealing to members of the public for information relating to the incident.

Det Ch Insp Fenney-Menzies added: “As always, we would continue to encourage any members of the public with information which may assist to get in touch – if you’ve seen or heard anything suspicious, we’d like to know.

“I’d also like to remind the public that this remains a live investigation so, for that reason, please avoid any speculation both in the community and on social media.

“Any information – no matter how small or insignificant you think it may be – could prove absolutely crucial to our enquiries.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of the Northumbria Police website or by calling 101 quoting log NP-20230928-0295.