Christmas tree-throwing contest launched near Keele

One hundred trees are being used at the event

A farm in Staffordshire is hosting what is thought to be the UK's first Christmas tree throwing competition.

Participants are given a 6ft (1.8m) tree, weighing about 10 kg (22lb), for the contest at Keele Christmas Tree Farm.

They must then throw it as far as possible and get the tree as high over a bar as they can.

One hundred trees are being used at the charity fundraising event to benefit the Help for Heroes campaign.

'Weight consistent'

Each contestant has three attempts at the "long throw" and three at the "high throw... over a high jump bar like in athletics", with the scores being added together, organisers said.

The competition is being held over this weekend at the farm on the A525 near Keele for the first time.

Organiser Charlie Reynolds, 19, said earlier: "They get a tree to throw which they then give to the next person to throw.

"We've got 100 trees of the same size and weight over the two days, because over time branches will fall off and they'll get lighter.

"So after a while we'll change the tree to keep the weight consistent.

"In Germany they've been running a competition just after the main festive celebrations for about eight years, and always ask people to turn up with their old trees."