Christmas tree called 'an insult' is to be replaced

A CHRISTMAS tree described as a half-dead "poor specimen" is being replaced on Yarm High Street.

- By GARETH LIGHTFOOT Local democracy reporter

John Coulson, left and Andrew Sherris in front of the 'poor' Christmas tree

Councillors welcomed the decision to take away the derided decoration after branding it an embarrassment to the town.

Cllr Andrew Sherris had called it an "insult of a tree", commenting that it "will be dead before Christmas".

Fellow Yarm member Cllr John Coulson protested to council chiefs, saying: "Yarm's Christmas tree is absolutely pathetic.

"It's disgraceful. Brown branches more than green. The public are outraged, and rightly so in my opinion." A spokesperson for Stockton Council said on Tuesday afternoon: "Following further inspections, we are now removing decorations from the tree in preparation for it to be taken away tomorrow morning.