A FAMILY has been left heartbroken after vandals snapped a young tree planted in memory of a solider killed in Iraq.

Edward Sherwood from Pickering wanted his nephew Lance Corporal Ben Hyde, who was shot dead in action in June 2003, to be remembered by planting the mountain ash on the outskirts of the town.

The uncle of the young officer and his wife, Ann, planted the tree, which is also known as a rowan, on the triangle of grass between the junction of Middleton Road and the A170 three years ago.

Mr Sherwood said Ben’s mother Sandra liked to see the leafy memorial as she drove to Pickering from her home in Northallerton to see her brothers and sister in the Ryedale market town.

The 63-year-old, who works at Perry Slingsby in Kirkbymoorside, said: "The whole family is deeply upset and totally disgusted by what has happened. The tree has been snapped in half deliberately but we will not let this deter us from commemorating our nephew and we will plant replacement as soon as we can.

"Ben’s mother and father are on holiday and we haven’t been able to tell them what has happened - I dread having to tell them because they are going to be so upset.

"We have lost a nephew but since the start of the war 158 soldiers have been killed and many are suffering like we are still today.

"I hope whoever has done is sorry for the damage they have caused a family who has lost a lovely son and nephew."

It is thought that the damage happened sometime on Monday.

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