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Christmas tree chopped down after lights switch on

News imageDurham Police A large Christmas tree which has fallen on its side. It has lights on it. There is a square black fence which is meant to be surrounding it, but the tree is over it on one side. There are a row of terraced houses behind it, outside which a silver car is parked. To the left is a road with a row of shops. The sky is grey.Durham Police
The Christmas tree had stood in Shotton Colliery for more than a decade

A Christmas tree that has stood in a village for more than 10 years has been cut down.

The tree in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, was believed to have been deliberately felled at about 23:20 GMT on Wednesday, Durham Police said.

The Christmas lights switch-on had taken place just hours before.

PC David Allen, from Peterlee Neighbourhood Police Team, said it was "a disgusting act of mindless vandalism, which has caused huge upset throughout the village".

News imageDurham Police The cut stump of the tree which is narrow and looks like it has been cut at an angle but is not a clean cut. The underneath of the tree is behind the stump with loads of small brown branches.Durham Police
The tree was cut down just hours after the Christmas lights switch on

"We are treating this incident extremely seriously and we will deal with anyone responsible as robustly as the law allows," Mr Allen said.

The force has appealed for witnesses or anyone with CCTV or doorbell footage of anyone acting suspicious in the area to get in touch.

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