Reposted from Chronicle

Hadrian's Wall "sustained some damage" after the world-famous Sycamore Gap tree near it was felled, inspectors have found. The landmark tree in Northumberland, believed to have been around 300 years old, was cut down overnight between Wednesday and Thursday last week, in what detectives called a "deliberate act of vandalism". The incident led to widespread anger and upset across the region. Early signs suggest that Hadrian's Wall, which stands next to where the sycamore had been, sustained "some damage", according to preservation body Historic England. It comes after Northumbria Police arrested a man in his 60s and a 16-year-old boy in connection with the incident. Both have been released on bail.

A Historic England statement read: "We visited Sycamore Gap on Friday for a preliminary inspection. Whilst we identified that Hadrian's Wall has sustained some damage, we have not been able to access the site to carry out a full investigation so a further archaeological appraisal will take place once the site is considered safe. "As the Government's heritage adviser, we are involved because Hadrian's Wall is protected as a scheduled monument. We appreciate how strongly people feel about the loss of the tree, and its impact on this special historic landscape, and will continue to work closely with key partners as these progresses." The wall, built by the Roman army on the orders of emperor Hadrian, has Unesco World Heritage status. The sycamore was looked after by Northumberland National Park Authority and the National Trust. It was among the UK's most photographed trees and was made famous in a scene in Kevin Costner's 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Experts have said new shoots are expected to grow from the tree, but it will never be the same again.

Over the weekend, a fence was erected around the sycamore to protect the site and visitors were urged not to touch the tree or remove any pieces from it. A sign, placed there by the National Trust, said: "Please respect the tree and avoid touching it or removing pieces from it. We will find a way to commemorate it. Thank you."

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