Two men have been charged in connection with the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree.

Daniel Graham, 38, and Adam Carruthers, 31, have been charged with causing criminal damage after the tree was cut down last September.

They have both also been charged with causing criminal damage to Hadrian’s Wall and are due to appear at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on 15 May.

There was a national outcry in September when the much-loved, 200-year-old Northumberland tree, which stood in a dramatic dip on Hadrian’s Wall, was found to have been cut down.

Teams from the National Trust collected material at the scene from which they hoped could be “viable for propagating” – or to produce new saplings and trees directly from the Sycamore Gap.

Officials said they are also “hoping” the trunk of the original tree could still regrow – but it could be three years before they know whether this is a possibility.

More on Sky News:
Train strikes in May 2024: Full list of dates and lines affected
UK water sports demand clean-up, blaming sewage for illness and event cancellations

Seeds collected from the Sycamore Gap tree after it was felled last year are beginning to spring into life.

Experts have used a range of techniques to cultivate the material, including ‘budding’, where a single bud from the original tree is attached to a rootstock of the same species, and two forms of grafting – ‘whip and tongue’ and ‘apical wedge’ grafting – where a cutting from the tree and a rootstock are joined by corresponding cuts in the material.

These processes are designed to create genetically identical replicas of the original Sycamore Gap tree.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Several dozen seeds have been grown in a special peat-free compost mix after they were washed and checked for disease.

Andrew Jasper, director of gardens and parklands at the National Trust, said: “These techniques, delivered with a remarkable degree of care and precision by our conservationists, are providing a legacy for this much-loved tree.

“And while there’s a way to go before we have true saplings, we’ll be keeping everything crossed that these plants continue to grow stronger and can be planted out and enjoyed by many in the future.

“The response to the Sycamore Gap tree’s felling has been extraordinary, and we hope that by continuing to share its story, we can raise awareness of the cultural and natural significance of these majestic trees that we’re so lucky to have in the UK.”

Related posts:

Vaccine programme to receive £1.7bn ‘shot in the arm’ in Budget Jurors fail to reach verdict on female officer accused of assaulting Dalian Atkinson Man arrested after woman, 36, stabbed to death Melting of Antarctica’s ‘doomsday glacier’ threatens UK sea levels, scientists warn More than half a million booster jabs given on Monday as 59,610 new COVID cases reported Omicron will cause ‘significant increase’ in hospital admissions, Professor Chris Whitty warns COVID infections falling in three of the four UK nations – ONS Man accused of rape and faking own death is arrested after ‘being aggressive towards hospital staff’ Missing aristocrat Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon are arrested – but their baby is still missing Fears ex-partner would be ‘harassed to death’ and details of call with William – what we learned from Harry’s court submission Phillip Schofield’s brother ‘forced teen boy to watch pornography and sexually abused him’ Sea evacuations begin in Corfu as wildfires chaos hit second Greek island