Sycamore Gap sapling planted in woman's memory

One of 49 saplings grown from the illegally felled Sycamore Gap Tree is to be planted in a woman's memory at a new nature reserve.

The site, at Warren House on the Durham coast, was bought by the National Trust in 2023.

A week of community woodland planting begins on 31 March and the Tree of Hope sapling will be planted later in the year.

The reserve, Tina's Haven, is named after Tina Robson of Sunderland, who died of a drug overdose in 2020, aged of 35.

Ms Robson's mother, Dr Sue Robson, said: "The planting of the Sycamore Gap sapling on the land later this year will symbolise that even after the worst adversity and tragedy, there can be recovery, healing, new beginnings and hope can grow in abundance."

More than 21,575 trees will be planted at the reserve over the next few months, with 31 March chosen to mark what would have been Ms Robson's 40th birthday.

The 34 hectare (84 acre) field is between National Trust land at White Lea Farm to the north and Cotsford Fields to the south.

The nature reserve will be a mixture of woodland, wood pasture, grassland, hedgerows, ponds and wetlands.

It will form part of a wider programme of habitat restoration work, including wildflower-rich magnesian limestone grasslands.

Eric Wilton, general manager for the trust's Derwent, Wear and Coast Portfolio said a continuous six mile (9.5km) stretch between Seaham and Horden was being sought.

"It's like another piece of a jigsaw, and managing land on a larger, joined-up scale brings many benefits," he said.

Mr Wilton said the haven would also improve access to the coast with a circular path around the field to be created.

Work to prepare the site began in February.

Councillor June Clark, representing Horden, said: "I belong to probably the third generation living a stone's throw from these fields on Durhams Heritage Coast, who never set foot there in our youth for fear of our mother's wrath at venturing too close to the filth that was the beach.

"Skip forward to today and it couldn't be more different.

"Our coast is finding its audiences at last."

Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.