Latest news with #TreeOfTheYear
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Two men sentenced for cutting down Sycamore Gap tree
Two men from Cumbria have been sentenced to four years and three months each in prison for illegally cutting down the Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland. They were also sentenced to another six months for the damage caused to Hadrian's famous tree, which stood next to Hadrian's Wall, was chopped down overnight in September 2023. Daniel Graham who is 39 and Adam Carruthers who is 32 were each convicted of two counts of criminal damage in May. Speaking on the motive behind the crime which she believes was pre-planned, the judge, Mrs Justice Lambert, said a "major factor" was "sheer bravado".She added cutting down the tree and the outrage it caused gave the men "some sort of thrill" and that both men were equally responsible. Why is the Sycamore Gap tree so famous? The Sycamore Gap tree was planted some time between 1860 and stood along Hadrian's Wall which was built by the Roman army and took six years to tree became an iconic landmark after appearing in a scene in the 1991 film Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, with people all over the world visiting the site to see was one of the most photographed trees in the country and even won the Woodland Trust's Tree of the Year in 2016.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Vandals who cut down Sycamore Gap tree sentenced in England to more than 4 years in prison
Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, shining over the Sycamore Gap tree, on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, England, July 3, 2016. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP, File)/PA via AP) LONDON — Two men who cut down England's beloved Sycamore Gap tree were sentenced Tuesday to more than four years in prison. The tree stood for nearly 150 years before Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers carried out what a prosecutor called a 'moronic mission' and cut it down in the middle of the night, toppling it onto Hadrian's Wall. Graham, 39, and Carruthers, 32, were each convicted of two counts of criminal damage — one for destroying the tree, the other for damaging the ancient wall. Justice Christina Lambert sentenced the pair each to four years and three months in prison during the hearing in Newcastle Crown Court. The tree, perched in a saddle between two hills, had been known to locals for its scenic setting but became famous after a cameo in Kevin Costner's 1991 film 'Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.' It drew tourists, lovers, landscape photographers and even those who spread the ashes of loved ones. It was voted English 'Tree of the Year' in 2016. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below. The two men who long denied cutting down England's beloved Sycamore Gap tree changed their tune Tuesday as they faced several years in prison for the crime. Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers previously testified at trial that they had nothing to do with the vandalism, but a prosecutor said that the two convicts now blame booze for the act as they admitted before sentencing that they had been on what he termed a 'moronic mission' to topple the tree. Prosecutor Richard Wright said that it was a 'fanciful proposition' that they didn't intend to cut down the tree along Hadrian's Wall or realize what they were doing until it was too late. 'The court can be sure they were sober, prepared and planned to do what they did,' Wright said. He said the pair should serve prison sentences between 18 months and 4 years. Justice Christina Lambert was due to sentence the pair later in the afternoon at Newcastle Crown Court. Graham, 39, and Carruthers, 32, were each convicted in May of two counts of criminal damage — one for killing the tree, and the other for damaging the ancient wall. The illegal felling in Northumberland National Park on Sept. 28, 2023, caused instant outrage and news quickly spread beyond the ancient wall built by Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 122 to protect the northwest frontier of the Roman Empire. It wasn't Britain's biggest or oldest tree, but the sycamore was prized for its picturesque setting, symmetrically planted between two hills along the wall that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tree had long been known to locals but became famous after a cameo in Kevin Costner's 1991 film 'Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.' It drew tourists, lovers, landscape photographers and even those who spread the ashes of loved ones. It was voted English 'Tree of the Year' in 2016. 'This iconic tree can never be replaced,' Andrew Poad, general manager of the heritage and nature conservation charity National Trust, said in a statement read in court by a prosecutor. 'It belonged to the people. It was a totemic symbol for many; a destination to visit whilst walking Hadrian's Wall, a place to make memories, take photos in all seasons; but it was also a place of sanctuary.' One man wielded a chainsaw while the other captured the felling on grainy video on a cellphone. Prosecutors couldn't say who cut down the tree and who memorialized the senseless act, but both were equally culpable. In less than three minutes, the tree that had stood nearly 150 years crashed to the ground. Carruthers will have to carry the burden for his actions like a 'form of personal penance,' attorney Andrew Gurney said. 'It was no more than drunken stupidity,' Gurney said, 'and something he would regret for the rest of his life.' At trial, the two men — once the best of friends who have fallen out since their arrests — testified they were at their respective homes on the night of the crime and downplayed their skills working with chainsaws. But evidence shown to the jury implicated both men. Graham's Range Rover was near the tree around the time it fell. Video of the felling was found on his phone — with metadata showing that it was shot at the location of the tree. As digital data showed Graham's vehicle on its way back to where the two lived about 40 minutes away, Carruthers got a text from his girlfriend with footage of their 12-day-old son. 'I've got a better video than that,' Carruthers replied. The jury didn't hear evidence of a motive for the crime, but Wright suggested in his closing argument that the two had been on a 'moronic mission' and cut down the tree as a joke. 'They woke up the morning after and ... it must have dawned on them that they couldn't see anyone else smiling,' Wright said. Brian Melley, The Associated Press
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Vandals who cut down Sycamore Gap tree sentenced in England to more than 4 years in prison
The vandals who cut down England's beloved Sycamore Gap tree were sentenced Tuesday to more than four years in prison for causing irreversible damage and serious distress. The tree stood for nearly 150 years before Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers set out on dark and stormy night to carry out what a prosecutor called a 'moronic mission' to fell the majestic sycamore, which crashed down onto Hadrian's Wall. Graham, 39, and Carruthers, 32, were each convicted of two counts of criminal damage — one for destroying the tree, the other for damaging the ancient wall. Justice Christina Lambert sentenced the pair each to four years and three months in prison during the hearing at Newcastle Crown Court. The tree, perched in a saddle between two hills, had been known to locals for its scenic setting, but became famous after a cameo in Kevin Costner's 1991 film 'Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.' It drew tourists, lovers, landscape photographers and those who spread the ashes of loved ones. It was voted English 'Tree of the Year' in 2016. The two men had long denied cutting down the tree, but changed their tune as they faced their fate. They both testified at trial that they had nothing to do with the vandalism, but a prosecutor said that they eventually admitted to the crime and blamed booze for the act. Prosecutor Richard Wright said that it was a 'fanciful proposition' that they didn't intend to cut down the tree along Hadrian's Wall or realize what they were doing until it was too late. 'The court can be sure they were sober, prepared and planned to do what they did,' Wright said. He said that the pair should serve prison sentences between 18 months and four years. The illegal felling in Northumberland National Park on Sept. 28, 2023, caused instant outrage and news quickly spread beyond the ancient wall built by Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 122 to protect the northwest frontier of the Roman Empire. It wasn't Britain's biggest or oldest tree, but the sycamore was prized for its picturesque setting, symmetrically planted between two hills along the wall that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 'This iconic tree can never be replaced,' Andrew Poad, general manager of the heritage and nature conservation charity National Trust, said in a statement read in court by a prosecutor. 'It belonged to the people. It was a totemic symbol for many; a destination to visit whilst walking Hadrian's Wall, a place to make memories, take photos in all seasons; but it was also a place of sanctuary." One man wielded a chainsaw while the other captured the felling on grainy video on a cellphone. Prosecutors couldn't say who cut down the tree and who memorialized the senseless act, but both were equally culpable. In less than three minutes, the tree that had stood nearly 150 years crashed to the ground. Carruthers will have to carry the burden for his actions like a 'form of personal penance,' attorney Andrew Gurney said. 'It was no more than drunken stupidity,' Gurney said, 'and something he would regret for the rest of his life.' At trial, the two men — once the best of friends who have fallen out since their arrests — testified they were at their respective homes on the night of the crime and downplayed their expertise working with chainsaws. But evidence shown to the jury implicated both men. Graham's Range Rover was near the tree around the time it fell. Video of the felling was found on his phone — with metadata showing that it was shot at the location of the tree. As digital data showed Graham's vehicle on its way back to where the two lived about 40 minutes away, Carruthers got a text from his girlfriend with footage of their 12-day-old son. 'I've got a better video than that,' Carruthers replied. The jury didn't hear evidence of a motive for the crime, but Wright suggested in his closing argument that the two had been on a 'moronic mission' and cut down the tree as a joke. 'They woke up the morning after and ... it must have dawned on them that they couldn't see anyone else smiling,' Wright said.
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Which tree will be crowned Tree of the Year 2025?
The shortlist of hopefuls hoping to get their branches on the title of Tree of the Year 2025 has been year the Woodland Trust runs the competition, which aims to celebrate rare, ancient or at-risk trees across the put together a list of nine of them, with the public choosing a final 10th as a wildcard entry - and the competition is have until 19 September to vote for their winner, that tree will then go on to represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year tree would you like to see win? Let us know in the comments!
The Independent
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Cedar climbed by Beatles and oak in Woolf poem among Tree of the Year nominees
A cedar tree climbed by The Beatles, an oak that may have inspired Virginia Woolf, and a lime representing peace in Northern Ireland are among those shortlisted for Tree of the Year 2025. Voting opens on Friday for the Woodland Trust's annual competition, which aims to celebrate and raise awareness for rare, ancient or at-risk trees across the country. The winner will be announced in September and will progress to represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year finals. Ten nominees from across the country have been chosen to meet this year's theme of 'Rooted in Culture', which seeks to highlight how trees inspire creative minds and become ingrained in our cultural landscape. As voting kicks off, Dame Judi Dench, who is patron of the Woodland Trust, said: 'Our oldest trees hold more stories than Shakespeare; some were putting down roots long before he began writing, more than 400 years ago. 'They are as much part of our heritage as any literature. 'I hope you will join me in voting.' A panel of experts selected nine trees of differing ages and species for the shortlist, while the public chose a 10th as a wildcard entry. This year, David Treanor, from Glasgow, put forward the 'Argyle Street Ash', pointing to its reference in James Cowan's 1935 book, From Glasgow's Treasure Chest, as 'quite the most graceful ash I have seen'. The shortlist also includes the Borrowdale Yews in Cumbria – a huddle of ancient trees described by William Wordsworth in his 1803 poem 'Yew Trees'. The Beatles' cedar tree in Chiswick, which is around 300 years old, was nominated given that the band perched on one of its low-swooping boughs in a video for their song Rain in 1966. The King of Limbs in Wiltshire made the list after Radiohead named their 2011 album after the ancient oak, which they spotted when recording at nearby Tottenham House. Also nominated is the Tree of Peace and Unity in County Antrim, Northern Ireland – a lime formed of two trees that grew together into a single trunk and became a symbol of reconciliation when leaders met there in 1998 at the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. The nominated Lollipop Tree on Salisbury Plain played a starring role in the final scenes of Sam Mendes's First World War film 1917 and the Lonely Tree in Llanberis, Wales, may feature in Netflix's upcoming series of The Witcher. And the Knole Park Oak in Kent, thought to be Britain's tallest at 135 feet, made the list as the tree believed to have inspired an epic poem in Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando. Voting is open until September 19 via the Woodland Trust website, with a winner to be announced on September 26. Laura Chow, head of charities at People's Postcode Lottery, which is supporting the competition, said: 'These trees have witnessed key moments in history, provided solace to war poets, been a supporting artist in a blockbuster film, and inspire reflection and creative photography as the seasons change.' 'We're looking forward to seeing which one the public votes as the winning tree'.
