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Two men arrested after Christmas tree cut down hours after lights switch-on
A 26-year-old man faces criminal damage charges after cutting down a memorial tree for WWI soldiers that stood over 10 years, police said.
- On Wednesday night in Shotton Colliery, the village Christmas tree was felled between 10pm and 11pm, just hours after the Christmas lights switch-on.
- As a longstanding village memorial, the tree had stood for more than 10 years and honored First World War soldiers, with Shotton Residents Association chairman Steve Maitland noting local fundraisers from a decade ago had since died.
- Two men have been arrested in connection with the felling; a 26-year-old is being remanded and charged with criminal damage, while a 23-year-old has been released under investigation, Peterlee Neighbourhood Policing Team said on Friday.
- Police said they are treating the incident extremely seriously; PC David Allan called it a "disgusting act of mindless vandalism" and specialist officers bagged evidence from the trunk on Friday.
- He said members of the public were making a sleeve for the tree’s base to bolt it back up, saying `These people who did this – I don’t think they understand the history and the feeling of these things`.
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Total News Sources17
Leaning Left5Leaning Right0Center9Last UpdatedBias Distribution64% Center
Bias Distribution
- 64% of the sources are Center
64% Center
L 36%
C 64%
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