South Tyneside woman expresses her anger over the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree

Emma Butler, from The Nook, has expressed her anger at the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree, on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, last week as she was set to visit the site at the weekend.

Two years ago, Emma walked Hadrian’s Wall to raise money for Hebburn Helps and when the walking party reached the tree, the 41-year-old spread her dad’s ashes.

Sunday, September 24, marked 10 years since her dad, Stephen Butler, had died and Emma was due to return with her uncle, Keith, on Sunday, October 2, but was unable to due to visitors being asked to stay away from the site.

Emma has expressed her disappointment at the felling of the tree and highlighted that the site is special to a lot of people.

She said: “I am just absolutely gutted, when I first heard about it, I thought that someone had made the story up for a laugh but when I found out that it had actually happened, it just broke my heart.

“When I did the walk two years ago, it took us two days before we reached the tree and I was ready to give up before that point.

“But the thought of being able to spread my dad’s ashes there pushed me on and once I had done that, it got me through the rest of the four-day walk.

“I’ve seen people saying online that ‘it is just a tree’ but I don’t think they understand that it is very special to a lot of people.

“So many people have got engaged at the tree or spread ashes there, it is an important part of their lives.”

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Emma is now hoping to think of a way to help raise money for the National Trust to plant more trees and has vowed to return to the site.

She added: “Both myself and my uncle enjoy walking so we will definitely be returning to Sycamore Gap.

“The tree might not be there anymore but my dad is still there.

“It has spurred my on to think of a way to help raise some money for the National Trust with the aim of them planting more trees.

“I’m going to be contacting a few people who can help me and hopefully I’ll have something sorted out soon.”

An investigation into the felling of the tree is ongoing and so far, Northumbria Police have arrested a man in his 60s, plus a 16-year-old boy - both have been bailed pending further inquiries.