Residents were horrified after the living Christmas tree was horrendously felled just hours after the lights were turned on — but now two men are under investigation
Two men have been arrested by police after cutting down a live Christmas tree. The incident came just hours after the tree’s lights were turned on to celebrate the festive season.
Police confirmed that two individuals had been arrested in connection with the incident. The felling has left the local community “devastated”, whilst also angering local campaigners due to the fact the tree was healthy.
Officers are now continuing with their investigations amid the furore surrounding the tree being cut down. Locals have also been left fuming due to the commemorative nature of the tree and what it was planted for.
According to the BBC, the incident is believed to have taken place in Shotton Colliery in County Durham on Wednesday night (December 10). The attack on the tree happened between 10pm and 11pm that evening, just hours after lights were draped around the tree and turned on.
After the incident, police were called to find out who was responsible and launched an appeal to help locate the culprits. Now it has been confirmed that two men, both in their 20s, have been arrested in connection with the felling by the Peterlee Neighbourhood Police Team.
The force added that they were in the process of charging and remanding a 26-year-old man with criminal damage. Meanwhile, the other suspect, a 23-year-old man has been released, pending an investigation.
The local residents association said they were shocked and appalled by the attack on the tree. Chairman Steve Maitland said that the move was hard to swallow, particularly due to the fact the green spruce had been planted in honour of local World War 1 heroes.
Residents said the tree was first planted back in 2014 and despite just being a small sapling at the time, the tree had brought a happy moment for many who served in the army. Maitland admitted that he initially did not believe the incident was real.
“I thought it was a hoax initially but when I couldn’t see the tree I was absolutely gutted,” he explained. He added that since the tree was cut down, a protective sleeve has been wrapped around the base so that the now fallen tree could at least stay up for this Christmas.
He went on to say that the response from the local community has been “tremendous”, with hundreds of people coming together to chip in some extra money to buy a new tree to put in the ground. But despite the positive outcome, Maitland blasted those responsible for what happened.
“These people who did this – I don’t think they understand the history and the feeling of these things,” he fumed. He added that some of those who bravely fundraised to pay for the initial tree have since passed away after it was planted over a decade ago.
Maitland went onto brand the incident as mindless vandalism” — revealing that everyone in the small village has been touched as a result of the attack on the tree. Looking to the future, he said that should everything go to plan, a new tree raised by the local community, should be in the ground come spring.
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