Leicestershire village Christmas tree chopped down before annual light switch-on
The 17 foot tree had stood at the heart of Sapcote
Residents have hit out at those who chopped down their Leicestershire village’s Christmas tree, calling it “absolutely sickening”.
Neil Tyack, a resident of Sapcote for the last 26 years, said he and a neighbour donated the tree to the parish eight years ago. In that time, Mr Tyack said the 4ft tree they’d originally planted stood at approximately 17 feet this year before it was cruelly cut down.
The tree had been decorated with 5,000 lights and giant baubles ready for the village switch-on, but Mr Tyack found it had been felled on Friday, November 14.
At the time, Mr Tyack said he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Posting on the village’s Facebook group, he said: “I’d love to know who is responsible for it, because, let’s be honest the wind hasn’t taken it, there’s sawdust all round it. Words are beyond me, it’s lit up every year for the village and someone’s obviously got a vengeance of the tree being here so if anyone’s got any ideas I’d love to know. Massively upsetting.”
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Tyack, hit out at those responsible.
He said: “The tree was put there for the people of the parish. Why did they feel that it is necessary to take something so beautiful, the most noblest of trees away at Christmas? Why would someone want to rob the village of a Christmas tree?”
“The whole village is just up in arms, and it’s sickening. Absolutely sickening.”
The 52-year-old believes the tree has been a focal point in the village with the light switch on unofficially marking the start to Christmas in the village. Many residents joined in the Christmas cheer by putting up their own lights.
He noted the tree had been chopped 90 per cent of the way through “and then when the winds came, it just snapped”. He said: “They used an electric chainsaw, you can see where it’s been cut.”
Mr Tyack said CCTV had been checked in the area but cameras did not show anything. He added there had been uproar in the village about it, “with hundreds of comments” on the village Facebook page. He added the tree was “truly looking magnificent” before it was chopped down.
Not to be defeated, the village got together this year and managed to get the tree erected with brackets for a short-term solution. Mr Tyack posted to the Facebook page “Despite the despicable actions of someone, the tree is back up thanks to the villagers ….Firmly bolted in place.”
Baubles and tree lights were placed on the tree, and the villagers managed to have their switch after all on Monday, December 1.
A police spokesperson said: “The force received a report on 15 November of a tree being cut down in Grace Road, Sapcote, the previous evening (14 November) between 8pm and 9pm.
“The tree was cut down but left at the scene. If anyone has any information, contact us, quoting crime number 25000670260.”
Sapcote Parish Council has offered to put some funds aside for next year’s tree.