Photos: Britain's famous Sycamore Gap tree 'deliberately felled'

London: The famous Sycamore Gap tree, located in a natural dip in the landscape alongside Hadrian's Wall in Northern England, is believed to have been "deliberately felled" overnight, the Northumberland National Park Authority said on Thursday.

The landmark, which the national park says is its most photographed spot, was also known as the 'Robin Hood Tree' after being featured in the 1991 film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" and was voted English Tree of the Year in 2016.

"The famous tree at Sycamore Gap has come down over night. We have reason to believe it has been deliberately felled," Northumberland National Park Authority said in statement.

"We are working with the relevant agencies and partners with an interest in this iconic North East landmark and will issue more details once they are known."

The national park authority asked visitors to avoid the site as it worked to identify what happened and to make the area safe.

"This is criminal damage and an attack on one of the nation's most famous trees," local lawmaker Guy Opperman said on social media. "Everyone in shock."

Northumbria Police said they had launched an investigation and that they were trying to establish if a criminal offence had occurred.

Local MP Mary Foy called it "a heartbreaking act of mindless vandalism of a much loved, famous landmark in the North East. "A very sad day for the iconic Sycamore Gap, which will upset so many people around the country - and even across the world," she added.

Visitors near the wall's milecastle 39 known as Sycamore Gap, June 4, 2023. | Local councillor Steven Bridgett wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the tree "has definitely been cut down using a chainsaw."

File photo: A section of Hadrian's Wall near the wall's milecastle 39 known as Sycamore Gap near Hexham, northern England, on January 19, 2022.