The historic Trafalgar Square Christmas tree was chopped down in Norway by the Lord Mayor of Westminster – 70 years after the first one was donated to Britain.
Councillor Ian Adams, Lord Mayor of Westminster , and the Mayor of Oslo Marianne Borgen took part in the tree-felling ceremony in the capital city on Tuesday (November 21).
The Norwegian spruce is 21 metres tall and 70 years old, and will be transported to Trafalgar Square where it will be lit up during a ceremony on December 7.
This is a significant anniversary for the tree which is a gift from Norway to the people of Britain in honour of their help and support during the Second World War .
The first one was donated in 1947.
During the war, King Haakon VII escaped to England as the Germans invaded Norway in 1940.
The government headquarters was set up in London where war news was broadcast in Norwegian, along with messages and information which was vital to the resistance movement in Norway.
The Norwegian Christmas tree is a symbol of gratitude for help and friendship during that difficult period of history.
Not just any tree can be honoured with the Trafalgar Square role and there are a number of conditions the spruce must meet.
The Christmas tree requires good soil, must have evenly set branches, be cone shaped, and narrow enough for transportation.
It must also be located near a road, in order for trucks to be able to access and retrieve it.
The Agency for Urban Environment at the City of Oslo (Bymiljøetaten) is responsible for providing the Christmas tree to London.
They keep a list of potential Christmas trees and the candidates receive extra care.
Trees surrounding the selected candidates are removed to provide better light and the best conditions possible for the roots.
The trees are also fertilized on a regular basis to ensure a strong green colour.
Even then, only one in 20 trees will “make the cut” and found suitable to be the next Christmas tree in London.
A crane loads the Christmas tree onto a trailer with a specially designed crib, constructed to ensure the stability of the tree during transportation to the harbour of Brevik.
The tree will be transported across the North Sea by ship, where it will travel below deck to protect it from seawater.
It will dock at Immingham before its journey continues to London and Trafalgar Square.
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