Two men have been arrested after a Christmas tree which had stood in a village for more than 10 years was cut down, police have said.
The tree was felled sometime between 10pm and 11pm on Wednesday in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, just hours after the Christmas lights were switched on.
A 26-year-old man is being remanded into custody and in the process of being charged with criminal damage, the Peterlee Neighbourhood Policing Team said on Friday.
The second man, 23, has been released under investigation.
Shotton Residents Association chairman Steve Maitland told the BBC Radio Tees on Friday the tree had been put up as a memorial for First World War soldiers.
He said members of the public were making a sleeve for the tree’s base, so they could bolt back up as quickly as possible, “just to tide us over for Christmas”.
“These people who did this – I don’t think they understand the history and the feeling of these things,” he further told the BBC.
Some of the people involved in fundraising for the tree a decade ago had since died, he added.
He called the attack “mindless vandalism” but said he could not “turn the clock back”.
Pc David Allan, from Peterlee Neighbourhood Police Team, said: “This was a disgusting act of mindless vandalism, which has caused huge upset throughout the village at a time when our community should be coming together.
“We are treating this incident extremely seriously, and we will deal with anyone responsible as robustly as the law allows.
“This behaviour has no place in our community.”
