Felled Sycamore Gap stump has 'encouraging' growth

The stump of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree is showing "encouraging" signs with a thick ring of new shoots growing around it, three years on from its illegal felling.

The landmark on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland was targeted on 28 September 2023 by Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers, who travelled during a storm from their homes in Cumbria to cut it down.

Their actions sparked widespread outrage and the pair were later jailed for criminal damage to the Victorian-planted tree and Roman wall.

Site owners the National Trust fenced off the stump to see if it would recover, with general manager Andrew Poad saying he is "filled with hope by the way nature is taking its course".

He said: "These flourishing shoots are really encouraging and show the special measures we've taken, including reducing soil compaction around the roots and limiting human disturbance, are paying off."

Poad said the trust was grateful to visitors supporting their efforts to give the tree "the best possible chance to thrive".

He added: "We're monitoring the tree closely and, over time, our rangers will manage it depending on how it develops."