Two men have been arrested in relation to a “disgusting act of mindless vandalism” after a Christmas tree which had stood in a village for more than 10 years was cut down.

On Wednesday, the tree in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, was felled sometime between 10pm and 11pm, just hours after the Christmas lights were switched on.

A 26-year-old man is being remanded into custody and is 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 chair, Steve Maitland, told BBC Radio Tees on Friday that the tree had been put up to commemorate fallen soldiers from the first world war.

View image in fullscreen Steve Maitland: ‘These people who did th

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