Christmas tree towering over Christchurch house needs new home

It is hoped Nannette Stratton's tree, standing at house-height, could take pride of place somewhere this Christmas

A woman who has seen a Christmas tree grow taller than her house wants someone to give it a new home.

Nannette Stratton has had the fir in her garden in Christchurch, Dorset, since it was a 6in (15cm) sapling.

The 78-year-old said she got the tree in 1998 after collecting enough newspaper coupons - and it has shot up by 1ft (0.3m) every year since.

Mrs Stratton hopes a charity or care home will take on the tree, which has never been decorated for Christmas.

The tree was just 6in when it arrived and then grew... and grew... and grew

She said her husband, Norman, who died aged 90 earlier this year, "bought the Sun every day for years and years, collected the coupons and sent off for a Christmas tree".

"When it arrived it was just one stem and it came in a jiffy bag," she said.

She said she had decided to rehome the soaring fir, which reaches beyond the gutters to the roof, because it now blocks out the light to half the house.

"It is a lovely tree and I wouldn't have got it if he hadn't bought the paper," Mrs Statton said.

"It's such a shame to chop a tree down but it would be nice to see it used this Christmas."

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