A Christmas tree that sparked outrage in a North Yorkshire town has been taken down and replaced after residents and local councillors slammed its sorry state.
The tree went up on Sunday outside the George and Dragon pub in Yarm, but it quickly became clear something was not quite right.
Brown patches and dead branches were visible throughout the tall spruce, leading to a flood of complaints from locals who could not believe what they were seeing.
Stockton Borough Council has now arranged for suppliers to install a replacement tree at no extra cost to taxpayers, following the public backlash.
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The festive decoration drew immediate criticism on social media, with dozens of people calling it a "waste of money and effort" and "disgraceful".
Local councillors alsi did not hold back in their criticism of the tree.
Conservative councillor Andrew Sherris branded it "half dead and unlikely to last until Christmas", calling it an "insult of a tree" and "an embarrassment for Yarm and an embarrassment for Stockton Council".
His colleague, John Coulson, was equally scathing, telling council leaders: "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."
The Christmas tree sparked outrage in Yarm
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The local authority explained the tree had been put up in darkness, making it impossible to properly assess its condition at the time.
One resident, who spoke to BBC Look North, said: "It's not as splendid as it usually is, it's actually quite scruffy looking."
Another local would has lived in the town for five decades was even less impressed, saying it was "definitely the most pathetic that we have seen so far".
"Yeah, bless it," she laughed, looking at the tree with pity.
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The Christmas tree was replaced after residents slammed its sorry state
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After the replacement was confirmed, Mr Coulson added: "What a bloody mess. I thought it was a miserable excuse for a Christmas tree. Pressure's counted and rightly so."
Workers were spotted removing decorations from the tree yesterday in preparation for today's replacement.
A council spokesman confirmed: "Following further inspections, we are now removing decorations from the tree in preparation for it to be taken away tomorrow morning.
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Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council is going to replace the Christmas tree at Yarm after residents have complained it is dying and won’t see Christmas.
It’s understood the tree will be replaced at no extra cost to taxpayers. pic.twitter.com/PdUkx3T8Cc
"Our suppliers will be back on the High Street tomorrow to install a new tree, and this will be done free of charge for the council."
Sherris expressed relief the council had listened to concerns, noting that one resident told him she was not initially looking forward to the lighting ceremony on December 7, but now felt significantly more enthusiastic.
The Christmas lights switch-on will go ahead as planned that afternoon.
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