Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree lit up in festive ceremony

The tree was lit by the Mayor of Oslo and the Lord Mayor of Westminster

The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square has been lit up in front of crowds in a special festive ceremony.

The event marked 75 years of London receiving a large tree from Norway to install in the central London square.

The country sends a native spruce every Christmas to thank the UK for its support in World War II.

In the run-up to Christmas groups of people will gather to sing carols at the base of the tree, which will stand in the square until 6 January.

About 500 lights adorning the tree were lit by the Mayor of Oslo, Marianne Borgen, along with the Lord Mayor of Westminster, Hamza Taouzzale.

"It really is a beautiful tree and I'd like to encourage everyone to make an effort to come and see it and celebrate this wonderful gift from Norway," Mr Taouzzale said.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, also attended the ceremony on Tuesday evening, which included festive musical performances.

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Westminster Council, which hosted the event, said the tree "represents friendship and hope for future generations".

The 68-foot (21 metre) tree was chopped down on 19 November in the Nordmarka forests near Oslo.

Following a 1,000-mile journey by land and sea, it was installed at Trafalgar Square on Monday

After the tree was lit, three local school children read a specially commissioned poem for the occasion, called And a Tree.

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