Residents have been brutally mocking an ’embarrassing’ Christmas tree that has sprung up to spread some festive cheer.
The tree – which has been described as being closer to a twig – stands outside The Hub in Hattersley, and despite efforts to pop a few fairy lights on its sparse branches, locals are still slamming the poor thing.
Tameside Council has promised that a more impressive cut tree will be brought along in time for the area’s Christmas Lights switch-on this week.
But in the meantime, locals have been flooding community groups online with jokes about their current specimen.
One person asked: “Oh dear God. Looks like it’s been shot at – is this for real?” while another said: “That’s got to be a joke.”
Someone else posed the question: “What the sh*tting hell is that?”
One person on Facebook said: “May aswell not have bothered. what an embarrassment.”
Another suggested: “Maybe they felt sorry for it, and didn’t want it to feel left out.”
And one user commented: “Welcome to shameside.”
The skinny little Christmas tree has also been compared by a lot of people to the shambolic fir that popped up in Mottram a few years ago.
Which, er, looked like this, if you were wondering…
Tameside Council has said of Hattersley’s Christmas tree: “It’s a living tree that has been in place for a few years. A cut tree will be supplied for the Hattersley Christmas Lights switch on before it takes place on Friday (1 Dec) from 4 to 8pm.
“We are seeking sponsorship to replace the living tree and will seek a different species to help it thrive in this location.”
Councillor Jacqueline Owen said in the Hattersley Community Group Facebook page that the council had had ‘sadly unsuccessful’ attempts to grow a sustainable tree.
Clearly, Jacqueline…
Featured image: Italian Wolverine via Mint Manchester