The Sycamore Gap tree, one of the most photographed trees in the country and a star of the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, has been found cut down in what is believed to be a ‘malicious act of vandalism’.

The 300-year-old sycamore, which stood in a picturesque valley next to Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, was discovered felled on Thursday morning by a shocked walker.

The tree, which won the 2016 England Tree of the Year award and featured in the 1991 Kevin Costner film, is thought to have been deliberately sawed at the base of the trunk with a chainsaw.

The Northumberland National Park Authority, which owns the land where the tree stood, said it was working with the police and other partners to investigate the incident and make the site safe.

The authority said the tree was ‘much-loved by people from across the world’ and asked the public not to visit the site at this time.

The Sycamore Gap tree was one of the most iconic landmarks along Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that runs for 73 miles across northern England.

The tree was located in a dramatic dip in the landscape, with the cliff and wall rising either side of it. It was visible from the nearby B6318 Military Road and attracted thousands of visitors every year.

The tree also appeared in other media, such as the music video for Bryan Adams’ (Everything I Do) I Do It for You, which featured on the Robin Hood soundtrack, and the TV crime drama Vera.

Local people and fans of the tree expressed their sadness and anger at the news on social media.

A local pub, the Crown Inn at Humshaugh, posted: ‘Absolutely shocking news this morning, Sycamore Gap is no longer, some mindless idiot appears to [have] cut it down through the night. What on earth goes through people’s heads?’

The author LJ Ross wrote: ‘Terribly sad to hear of the loss of this iconic, beautiful tree which was the inspiration for my second book. I don’t know why it was felled, there is a lot of speculation at the moment, but I can only hope there was a very good reason.’

A police spokesperson said: ‘We can confirm an investigation has been launched following damage to the Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland. Inquiries are ongoing to establish whether any criminal offences have been committed.’

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