Sycamore Gap sapling's new home at historic hall

A sapling grown from the famous Sycamore Gap tree has been given a new home in Bradford.

It has been planted in the grounds of East Riddlesden Hall near Keighley which is run by the National Trust.

The illegal felling of the tree next to Hadrian's Wall in 2023 hit headlines around the world and led to the jailing of two men.

Seeds from the ancient sycamore were taken by the trust, which owns the site in Northumberland, and used to grow saplings.

Emily Ghassempour is the trust's community participation and volunteering manager for West Yorkshire.

She said: "We're able, with the skills we have within the trust, to make saplings from the felling.

"We have been lucky enough to have been chosen to actually have one of those saplings. It's such a privilege."

The sapling is part of the Rooted in Partnership community initiative.

It comes after the first 49 saplings - one for each foot in height of the original tree - were gifted to people and organisations through the Trees of Hope project.

Sites included the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease in Leeds and the Leeds Society for Deaf and Blind People.

Ghassempour said: "It feels very hopeful. The sun's shining, spring is in the air.

"There are a lot of difficult things happening, not just in the UK but around the world.

"These small acts of connecting to nature, in the community, just help us to keep that hope alive."

BBC Gardeners World Magazine prize winner Kamal Hussain, who lives in Saltaire, helped plant the sapling.

Hussain, who volunteers at East Riddlesden Hall, said: "I was offered the opportunity to come along and have the honour of planting a sapling from the Sycamore Gap tree.

"This is where my interest in horticulture took root.

"We're also planting six fruit trees here and obviously fruits are great for the wildlife and nature and us as human beings.

"It's really lovely that the kids have been planting these trees because then they'll come back and bear the fruits of their own labour one day."

Samir Butt is a senior leader from Riddlesden St Mary's Primary School and regularly brings pupils down to the hall's community garden.

He said: "It's absolutely fantastic. The children will remember this day for a very long time.

"Especially as they'll be able to come and visit that tree over the next 10, 20, 30 years."

Senior gardener Ben Cooper is in charge of keeping the one-year-old sapling safe as it gets used to its new home.

He said: "I don't think I've ever been so timid when planting a tree before.

"Usually we just whack them in, but this one has got a bit of special significance so we're taking a bit of extra care.

"It is only about up to my knee now but hopefully one day it will be 100ft tall."

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