Sapling from Sycamore Gap tree stolen from Wray Castle grounds

One of the saplings grown from the felled Sycamore Gap tree has been stolen from a castle's grounds.

The young tree, which was believed to have been stolen earlier this month, was planted at Wray Castle, near Ambleside, Cumbria, in April 2026.

It was one of 49 grown from seeds taken from the tree, which was illegally felled in September 2023.

The National Trust runs the estate and general manager Laura Lee said the tree's loss would be "deeply felt", adding: "The tree belongs to everyone."

She said: "We urge those involved to do the right thing, return the sapling, or come forward."

Cumbria Police is investigating the theft.

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.

Jez Westgarth, the trust's assistant director for Cumbria and Lancashire, said 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.

Westgarth said although the National Trust occasionally saw thefts and vandalism on its sites, it was the first time he had be made aware of a plant being taken in this way.

"Ultimately we don't understand it but we would really like the sapling back," he said.