Unusual exhibits lined up at Melton Christmas Tree Festival

The event, the largest of its kind in the country, boasted 1,254 glistening trees in 2015, and this December organisers say the figure will easily be beaten.

Each year the church is transformed with hundreds of decorated trees from individuals and businesses in the area and people come from far and wide to see the spectacle.

The event started 14 years ago with just 100 trees and has steadily grown. This year there are exhibits from Grantham, Loughborough and Coventry. There are even trees from more than 3,000 miles away in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Ian Neale, chairman, and one of the founding members of the Melton Christmas Tree Festival Committee, said: “I am shocked at how the festival has grown.

“We started with 100 trees in the first year and I think the committee members did a lot of those. We decided to give it three years to see if it would work and it has totally exceeded all our expectations.

“What’s so great about the event is the community involvement. It has become the start of Christmas for people in Melton.”

Some of this year’s unusual entries include an eight foot high gabled pyramid tree by Melton firm HHSP Architects, a tree made out of beds by Sysonby Knoll Hotel and a tree made from a welded steel structure with individual hand cut sheet metal leaves, made by Melton firms Lee and Cooke Roofing Ltd and Flashings Ltd.

The festival will be opened at a preview cheese and wine evening on Thursday, December 1 at 7pm for 7.30pm. The evening will include an opening service, carols and the switching on of lights. Tickets cost £7 and are available from the Parish Office at the Samworth Centre.

Five public open days will follow with entry then £2 for adults and free for under 12s.

For more information email Ian at [email protected] or go online at http://www.melton.leicester.anglican.org/Articles/464509/St_Marys_C/What_we_do/Community_Events_Everyone/Christmas_Tree_Festival/Dont_miss_the.aspx