"You can't forgive that": Teen arrested after felling of iconic 200-year-old tree
A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in northern England after what police describe as the "deliberate" felling of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree.
The tree had stood next to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hadrian's Wall for nearly 200 years before it was tragically vandalised.
Both locals and tourists have frequently stopped to capture a photo and appreciate the stunning tree ever since it gained fame for its appearance in Kevin Costner's 1991 film, Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.
Now, photographs from the scene on early Thursday showed that the tree had been cut off near the base of its trunk, and the locals are fuming.
"The tree is a world-renowned landmark and the vandalism has caused understandable shock and anger throughout the local community and beyond," Northumbria Police said in a statement.
"This is an incredibly sad day," they added.
"The tree was iconic to the North East and enjoyed by so many who live in or who have visited this region."
Alison Hawkins, was the first person to spot the damage while she was walking on the Hadrian's Wall path.
"It was a proper shock. It's basically the iconic picture that everyone wants to see," she said.
"You can forgive nature doing it but you can't forgive that."
The Northumberland National Park authority have asked the public not to visit the iconic tree, which was voted as English Tree of the Year in 2016.
Police report that the teen has since been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage, and has been assisting officers with their inquiries.
Images: Getty