HOW WE FILLED IN THE GAPS

Sycamore Gap cop on investigating the landmark lumberjacks

- BY LAUREN MORRIS

A POLICEMAN who helped nail the Sycamore Gap vandals has told of the mistake the pair made that led to their conviction.

When the 120-year-old tree was discovered to have been chopped down in September 2023, Detective Inspector Calum Meikle was brought in from Northumbria Police's rural crime team to work with the force's DCI Rebecca Fenney.

Investigating the unique crime was at first difficult. DI Meikle told the Mirror: “You've got a very remote scene, you've got no witnesses, you've got essentially no CCTV and you've got no immediate forensic evidence.”