The felling of the famous Sycamore Gap tree in the North East has prompted an outpouring of grief from scores of celebrities – but few as unexpected as the Newcastle United football manager.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference on 29 September, Eddie Howe said he was saddened by the incident, but that he had never seen the tree in person.
The Magpies manager said he was disappointed someone would want to destroy “such a beautiful thing”.
“I'm really, really sad that I wasn't able to get there before what happened.
“I'm really saddened by it. I don't quite know how to describe it.
“When I heard the news, I was just so disappointed that an act can ruin something that's there for the pleasure of everybody and it's such a beautiful thing.
“Very sad.”
A 16-year-old boy was arrested on Thursday in connection with the tree’s felling.
The tree at Sycamore Gap, beside Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, was made famous by an appearance in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner.
It was believed to be about 300 years old. Northumberland National Park Authority officials believe it was “deliberately felled”.
Howe was joined by voices across the North East in expressing shock.
The coach was joined by voices across the North East and the country in condemning the ruinous act which saw one of Northumberland's icons cut down.
Si King, one of the Hairy Bikers, a celebrity chef due, said the tree was a “sentinel of time and elemental spirit of Northumberland”.
In a video on X/Twitter, he said: “I hope whoever has done that has a conscience because you've just murdered a sentinel of time and elemental spirit of Northumberland.
“I hope you feel really good about yourself for whatever warped reason you've done it. It's shocking.
“I'm beyond words.”
Meanwhile news anchor Stephen Dixon refused to see why it was so upsetting for nature lovers.
“It's also just one tree, let's keep it in context”, he said on right wing TV channel GB News.
He said the perpetrator should go on a National Trust course to learn to “appreciate things a bit more”.
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