A GIANT chainsaw was found by officers searching a former logger’s barn as part of the Sycamore Gap tree investigation.
Police have completed a two-day search at Walter Renwick’s isolated Plankey Mill farm in Northumberland – eight miles from where Britain’s most famous tree stood proudly.
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Officers investigating the Sycamore Gap tree felling found a giant chainsaw in a search of the farmCredit: NNP
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Former logger Walter Renwick, 69, has denied being the mystery loggerCredit: NNP
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A Sycamore Gap tree near Hadrian’s Wall was cut down at the baseCredit: Reuters
And the chainsaw – found in an outbuilding at the former camp – was added to dozens more bags of evidence.
Renwick, 69, was arrested by police on Friday after the 300-year-old iconic tree was cut down.
Hours earlier, he told the Sun: “You’ve got the wrong guy.”
He said: “I’m an ex-logger and I’ve just been evicted from my property so I can see why people have been pointing fingers.
“My brother came down to make sure I wasn’t arrested because he heard rumours. It’s very sad. It’s an iconic tree.”
The pensioner continued: “But it was a perfect night for it. There was a full moon so it would have been well lit and the wind would have meant you could barely hear it.
“Trees have their own DNA and with the dust you can find which tree has been cut, so it will be easy to find who did it.”
The court required him to leave the farm – where he ran a tourist camp – after a legal battle that lasted more than two years.
During the proceedings, he spoke of his connection to the family home, which he rented out in his late father’s name, saying: “I was born here. It’s like a tree with roots.”
He was then granted a 28-day stay from eviction after the pensioner took his fight to Carlisle District Court.
But the farmer still faced eviction, and now the Jesuits in Britain, who own the land, say they took possession on September 21.
He was released on bail yesterday pending a police investigation.
The 16-year-old suspect was also released on bail.
A National Trust spokesman said: “We are focused on making the site safe and helping staff and the community come to terms with the news.
“We will be working with Northumberland National Park, other partners and the local community to consider plans for the site and the tree in the future.”
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Police have completed their two-day search in the isolated farmCredit: NNP
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Renwick was arrested by the police on FridayCredit: NNP
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A 300-year-old iconic tree was cut down Credits: Mega Agency
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education