Borders towns see Christmas trees shrink by a third

The Christmas trees put in place this year - like this one in Melrose - are shorter than usual

Christmas trees put up at sites across the Borders have shrunk by a third compared to previous years.

The local authority has been giving out 30ft (9m) trees to nine towns in the region for about 15 years.

However, this year it has been unable to secure any of the same height and has had to use 20ft (6m) ones instead.

A council spokesman said that despite their "best efforts" they had not found any taller trees, but added the shorter ones were "of a very high quality".

In previous years the trees have been about 50% taller than they are this year

The trees go out to Selkirk, Galashiels, Hawick, Melrose, Peebles, Innerleithen, Jedburgh, Kelso and Eyemouth.

The local authority said the arrangement had been in place since about 2004.

Innerleithen is another town to receive a shorter tree

All of the trees are in now in place and the communities are reported to be happy with them.

"Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we have been unable to source the usual 30ft Christmas trees for all Borders towns," said a spokesman.

"We have, however, been able to source 20ft trees, which are of a very high quality."

The council said communities were reported to be happy with the shorter trees

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