A tree felled in a remote Northumberland forest is set to become one of the most photographed in the world in the coming weeks as it starts its long journey to London.
Kielder Forest has supplied the tree which stands at the foot of Big Ben during the festive period for more than twenty years. And this year's specimen is a giant 43ft Sitka spruce, which has been selected from 150 million trees grown in the remote Northumberland forest.
A team of experts at Forestry England selected the tree for its "fulsome foliage" and "eye-catching proportions", and it has already been felled and extracted from England's biggest woodland. It was then pulled through a mega-sized baler and wrapped for its protection before being hoisted onto a low-loader for its 330-mile trip to Westminster.
Read more: We visited Bamburgh Castle's Christmas Kingdom in Northumberland and here's what we thought
Richard Cooper from Forestry England said: "We’ve put a lot of work into picking just the right specimen. But no matter how many years we do this it’s still a bit nerve-wracking watching the tree being felled.
"It’s vital we keep everything intact to preserve its film-star looks. Kielder has been asked to supply the Big Ben tree for over twenty years and it’s something we are immensely proud of.
"The forest is one of the few able to meet this demand and it's a great accolade for everyone past and present who cares for this special place."
The tree, which was planted in about 1982, is one of 212 super-sized Kielder civic Christmas trees selected for prime locations in towns and cities across the UK including Manchester and Glasgow. There will also be a 25-foot tree from Kielder for medieval Westminster Hall and a 12-footer for the Speaker's House.
Seedlings from previously selected civic trees have been planted in Kielder Forest's 155,000 acre-woodland with the aim of ensuring sustainability, and could be seen in another 40 years time in city centres or even outside Westminster!
Where are you getting your Christmas Tree for 2022? Let us know!
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