Christmas tree farm looks for 'a stunner' for No 10

Russell Stanhope said he is looking for 'a stunner' to give to the prime minister's residence

A Christmas tree farm is looking for "a stunner" after being chosen as this year's Downing Street tree supplier.

Bishop Offley Christmas Trees in Staffordshire was chosen by members of the Christmas Tree Growers Association for the honour.

Owner Russell Stanhope, who started growing the trees in 1996, said he was "over the moon" the be selected.

He said the pressure was now on to find a tree worthy of sitting outside the prime minster's home.

"It was a culmination of a lot of hard work," Russell Stanhope said

He said more than 100 trees were entered into a competition run by the association and then members voted for their "champion", he said.

"We were absolutely over the moon when we won the competition.

"It was a culmination of a lot of hard work. We're only tiny growers compared to a lot of the bigger Scottish, Irish and Welsh growers so it was [a] truly brilliant feeling to win.

"The pressure is on the find a stunner in the plantation so we're scouring our various plantations, we've got them here there and everywhere and we will have a stunning tree outside number 10."

The company has plantations across Staffordshire and Cheshire.