No free Christmas trees for Inverness and Nairn area

Communities in parts of the Highlands will not receive a spruce for use at Christmas as they have done in the past due to a lack of the trees.

Highland Council usually provides 6m (20ft) tall firs to the communities in and around Inverness and Nairn free of charge.

Forest Enterprise has advised the local authority that it is unable to supply the large size trees this year.

The council has suggested communities could approach local estates for firs.

The local authority has offered to decorate the trees sourced by communities with lights for free.

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A Highland Council spokeswoman said: "In previous years we have provided free of charge Christmas trees to various villages in the local Inverness and Nairn area.

"However, this year we have been informed by our supplier Forest Enterprise that they can no longer provide us with Norway spruce 20ft trees.

"Commercial growers generally do not have 20ft trees and those who do are looking to charge high prices.

"Therefore staff have written to advise communities that we will not be in a position to provide free Christmas trees this year.

"If communities are able to source their own local trees and have them erected by the 30 November, council staff will be able to dress the tree during the week commencing 3 December."