The landmark tree at Sycamore Gap located near Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, UK, has been felled.
The tree, which is considered an iconic symbol of the north east of England, was "deliberately felled," say Northumberland National Park Authority officials.
The incident occurred in the early morning of 28 September.
The 300-year-old tree was a landmark often captured by photographers, including astrophotographers who took advantage of the region's dark skies to image the tree against a starry night sky.
Kielder Observatory, which is located in Kielder Forest, Northumberland, and which is one of the UK's most popular dark-sky sites, said the news was "devastating for the region" in a post on X (formerly Twitter)
"We’ve seen so many beautiful images of Sycamore Gap over the years and hope that there is some accountability for this act of vandalism."
Dan Monk, an astronomer at Kielder Observatory posted on X: "Living just 5 minutes down the road, it has been a place of solace for me on dark starry nights.
"It was a symbol that represented the unrivalled history and beauty of Northumberland."
The Sycamore Gap tree was voted English Tree of the Year in 2016 in the Woodland Trust’s awards.
It is also known across the globe for having appeared in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
But astrophotographers will remember the Sycamore Gap tree as having been a prime target for images of the night sky, in particular images showing star trails.
In the latest news, a 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree.
Northumbria Police say the teenager was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
Superintendent Kevin Waring said: “The tree was iconic to the North East and enjoyed by so many who live in or who have visited this region.
"As a Force, are fully committed to finding out the full circumstances and we will consider every tactic at our disposal in this investigation.
"I would ask anyone who saw anything suspicious or knows anything that can assist our investigation to get in touch with us."
