'Even Christmas tree has been on fat jabs'

Residents blast slim 'Temu tree' in town

- By ANDREW FORGRAVE Countryside and Tourism Editor [e-mail]

Rhyl town centre's Christmas tree last year, left, and this year, right

A NEWLY erected Christmas tree in the heart of a Denbighshire seaside town has been getting some withering looks.

Angry residents have been horrified by its slimmed-down look and are demanding it be returned for a refund.

The 16ft Norwegian spruce quickly attracted attention after being installed in Rhyl's High Street this week.

Online, comparisons were made with last year's effort, which was the same height but - in true Santa tradition - was much plumper.

"That's a twig," fumed one woman on seeing this year's effort. "Where's the rest of the Xmas tree?" wondered another.

"Even the tree has been on the fat jabs this year," sighed a resident.

The forlorn tree was labelled "disgusting" and "absolutely appalling".

One man labelled it a "Temu tree" in reference to the cut-price online retailer.

A woman added: "Seen dogs dragging bigger branches than that."

The disparaging comments kept coming. "Surely a few more hundred pounds could have been spent on a tree with more than five branches?" said a local.

Another quipped: "So that’s where the neighbour's conifer went...."

The British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA) has warned that trees may be shorter and more “gappy” this year following two poor growing seasons.