Stolen Sycamore Gap sapling mystery continues
National TrustPolice have been unable to identify the culprit behind the theft of a sapling grown from the felled Sycamore Gap tree.
The young tree, which was believed to have been stolen in June, was planted at Wray Castle, near Ambleside, Cumbria, in April 2026.
It was one of 49 grown from seeds taken from the sycamore, which was illegally felled in September 2023.
Cumbria Police has now said it has been forced to close its investigation into the theft as it has explored all lines of inquiry. Nevertheless it urged people with information about the crime to contact the force.
The sapling was planted in the castle estate as part of a joint 'Branches of Care' initiative between the National Trust and St Mary's Hospice in Ulverston, supporting people experiencing illness, dementia and bereavement through nature.
The National Trust's Cumbria and Lancashire assistant director Jez Westgarth previously told the BBC his team believed the sapling was taken from the remote site to be replanted elsewhere.
"It hasn't just been pulled up recklessly - somebody's thought about what they're doing," he said.
Cumbria Police said it believed the theft took place between 9 and 16 June.
In July 2025, the two men who chopped down the Sycamore Gap tree, which was valued at £450,000, were jailed for four years and three months.
Daniel Graham, 39, and 32-year-old Adam Carruthers have never revealed their motive.
