'I found Sycamore Gap tree under my patio slab'

Howard Dawson hopes to protect the marking from the elements

A gardener said he could not believe his eyes when he uncovered a "miraculous representation" of the now-felled Sycamore Gap tree, hidden beneath a paving stone.

Howard Dawson made the discovery at his home near Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

The 82-year-old said he lifted up a slab, which had been stacked for about a decade, and saw an image of what appeared to resemble the much-loved tree that had been formed by dirt and dust.

The landmark, which grew by Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, was illegally felled in September 2023 causing shock around the world. Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were each jailed for four years and three months after being convicted of criminal damage.

Mr Dawson told the BBC: "It is not quite rounded at the top, it is not quite fully formed but it is a remarkable likeness.

"It is a miraculous representation of the tree. I just looked at it in amazement."

Mr Dawson said he and his wife were amazed to find the marking

The grandad-of-four said the marking, which is about 9in (23cm) long, had been made up of dust and garden debris.

He said it must have developed over 10 years as the paving slabs had not moved during that time.

"They have been in that particular part of the garden for as long as I can remember," he said.

"The likeness to the Sycamore Gap tree is remarkable."

The tree was a popular picture shot among photographers

Mr Dawson, who lives with his wife Marilyn, has the newly-found image protected from the elements by an upturned garden pot, but he said was worried how long it could be kept in its current condition.

"If it rains it might get washed away but my wife and friends have seen it and have all been amazed as I have," he added.

"It's not the sort of thing we could lift off, we could possibly put glass over it somehow and anchor it down."

Mr Dawson said the dirt and dust image must have gathered in that pattern over a decade

Mr Dawson said he had only ever seen the real tree when he was a boy 70 years ago, during a Scout trip to Hadrian's Wall.

He said he "couldn't bring himself" to return to the site after the tree was felled.

"In solitude it was in a remarkable location, and it was a magnificent tree," he said.

The tree, which was more than 100 years old and owned by the National Trust, sat near the wall, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site.

It had been planted in the late 1800s and found global fame after featuring in a scene of the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner, and was popular with photographers and artists.