Newport's re-'cycled' Christmas tree made of 100 scrap bikes

Tree made from recycled bikesClaire Higgins

Pedal power: The festive tree is made from more than 100 old bikes

It's made of unwanted bicycles, weighs more than two tonnes and has no pine needles in sight - but this Christmas 'tree' is proving a popular attraction.

Staff at a waste management company in Newport have breathed new festive cheer into more than 100 scrapped bikes.

The tree took four weeks to build and is attracting more attention than ever after a year's absence.

Oliver Hazzell, who designed the tree, said: "There's a feel-good factor about a tree made entirely of scrap."

Mr Hazzell was inspired by a birthday present to his father

The idea stemmed from a sculpture made from recycled materials that was gifted to his father for his 50th birthday.

With easy access to scrap metals, Mr Hazzell and his team at GD Environmental spent months on the project.

"We had 30 bikes, stripped them down, took the tyres and wires off and sprayed them, which took weeks," he said.

"But we soon realised we needed more bikes so we spent months scouring scrapyards, especially for smaller kids bike for the top.

"I did the engineering and one of our more creative fabricators (welders) came up with an idea of how to assemble the trickier bits, like using the handlebars to make a star."

Passers by have been visiting the business on Nash Road to take photos

It took three people with a platform to construct the 20ft (6m) structure which has been given a facelift this Christmas.

"It looked a bit worse for wear so we didn't put it up last year- but then people started popping in asking where it was," said Mr Hazzell.

"We didn't realise how popular it was, so we decided it needed a bit of love.

"We're pretty proud of how it looks. It's great that is has been made entirely of stuff that had been thrown away.

"Perhaps that's why it has now caught people's imagination. There's a feel-good factor about it."

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