Vandals damage and strip community Christmas tree

The tree was transported from Italy at a cost of £3,500

Vandals have caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage after stripping a Christmas tree of its decorations.

The Sea Road and Fulwell Traders Association and Fulwell Library staff, had raised £1,500 to light up and decorate the village's "living" tree in Dene Lane.

However, local residents were dismayed to discover its branches had been damaged, wires to the lights cut and decorations pulled off and strewn across the grass.

Fulwell councillor, Michael Hartnack, said the vandals were "mindless" and had "destroyed" the community's efforts to prepare for Christmas.

The decorations and lights cost traders and Fulwell library staff £1,500

A Northumbria Police spokesperson urged anyone with information relating to the criminal damage to get in touch.

Mr Hartnack believes two men stripped the lights from the tree just before midnight on Thursday.

"We had a couple of hundred people here celebrating Christmas and now we've had two mindless vandals who've come here late last night and done this," he said.

"I've had a number of phone calls and people are absolutely disgusted because it's right next to a primary school."

'Not the first time'

Richard Beck of Fulwell Community Library said the tree had not been popular with everyone.

"It cost a lot of money, we brought it over from Italy for £3,500 but it's one we'll keep and it will grow," he said.

"The decorations cost the traders and the library a lot of money but we just wanted to put a nice show on for the children.

"It's not the first time it's been damaged, I'm just sick to death of the whole thing."