The 12-foot-hight tree saw its green needles drop within months, say locals (Picture: Blackpool Gazette / SWNS)
A browning bare-bones tree has been draped in festive lights to get in the Christmas spirit — and locals really aren’t impressed.
The spiritless tree in Oxford Square, Blackpool, stands in a small patch of grass by a Greggs, Aldi and a row of houses.
The council planted the tree last year but locals claim that within months its plush green needled dropped, leaving it a little, well, wooden.
So locals were shocked, to say the least, when they saw the 12-foot tree had been laden with twinkling lights on the fir this month.
Council chiefs have insisted the tree is ‘alive’ even as people feel it’s in more of a poor shape than the council lets on.
One resident said on social media: ‘So Blackpool Council instructed an employee to put lights on Christmas trees around town and nobody noticed some of these trees were dead?
The tree stands just outside a Greggs (Picture: Blackpool Gazette / SWNS)
The twinkling lights were spotted by residents this month (Picture: Blackpool Gazette / SWNS)
‘No doubt the same staff will now have to remove the lights before a new tree can be planted when they can pop back for a third visit and decorate the new tree.
‘Unbelievable! Is it any wonder council budgets are under serious pressure.’
Another added: ‘They need to be looked after not just planted in and left, obviously they don’t know how to look after a Christmas tree because why anyone would slap some lights on this twig when it’s one of the main roads in and out of Blackpool is beyond me.
‘I wonder who thought, “oh let’s plonk some lights on that twig”.’
A third user said: ‘I noticed this tree the other day. Why did they even bother to put lights on a tree that has no pine needles on.
‘The world has gone mad.’
Residents remarked about the tree on social media (Picture: Blackpool Gazette / SWNS)
The Christmas tree raised some eyebrows (Picture: Blackpool Gazette / SWNS)
In response to the not-exactly-holly or jolly social media response, council officials have said they’ll replace the tree.
John Blackledge, the council’s director for community and environmental services, said: ‘A new tree is coming to the site in time for Christmas.
‘The current tree has been inspected and is alive but will be moved and replanted to give it a chance to recover.
‘Unfortunately, Christmas trees which were planted last year suffered through a difficult winter and are being transplanted to a new location in a sheltered environment.
‘A new set of trees across the town are being prepared ready for Christmas.’
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‘The world has gone mad.’
