Officers investigating the vandalism of an iconic Northumberland tree have issued an update.

The world-famous Sycamore Gap tree was felled overnight between September 27 and 28 in what officers believe was a deliberate act of vandalism.

An investigation was immediately launched, with the support of partners, and extensive enquiries have been carried out, including several arrests.

Today (Friday, March 15), they have confirmed that two men in their 30s had their police bail further extended as they continued to investigate what happened to the iconic tree featured in Kevin Reynolds's 1991 Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.

A man in his 60s who was previously arrested on suspicion of criminal damage will now face no further action by police.

In December, Police reaffirmed their commitment to residents and visitors alike, that those responsible will be brought to justice.

Detective Chief Inspector Rebecca Fenney-Menzies said: “I would like to reassure the public that our investigation continues, and we are committed to establishing the full circumstances surrounding the damage, and in bringing any offenders to justice.

“Sycamore gap is an iconic part of our region’s landscape, and we know just how much outrage this incident has caused.

“As always, we welcome any new information from members of the public that could help progress the investigation.

“We would also like to remind people to avoid speculation and to take care with the information they share and post on social media, as this could have repercussions for our investigation.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of the Northumbria Police website or by calling 101 quoting log NP-20230928-0295.”