Lincolnshire town's Christmas tree damaged day after installation

A Lincolnshire mayor said it was "very heartbreaking" to see the town's Christmas tree attacked by vandals.

The 25ft (8m) tree in Wainfleet All Saints had its lights pulled off and left on the floor just a day after it was installed in the market place.

Councillor Steve Mitchell said he thought the damage was part of an attempted theft and the incident had been reported to the police.

The attack comes just days after a Remembrance Day display of knitted poppies was ripped from the town's war memorial and later found dumped in a park.

"It is disheartening and I just feel for everybody who contributes," Mitchell said.

"It doesn't just affect one or two people in the town, it affects everybody."

Volunteers spent Friday night decorating the tree and then had to come back on the Sunday morning to carry out repairs after the damage was discovered.

The mayor said the town council was looking at CCTV footage to try and identify the culprits.

"We'll carry on doing our best," he said.

"We'll try and put aside the few bad apples that are in the town and we will carry on striving to keep our town how we like it."

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