Christmas tree pledge to shoppers

The threadbare tree was later relaced with a 20ft spruce

A County Durham shopping centre has promised its new Christmas tree will be an improvement on last year's which was so thin it was branded an "insult".

The tree at Peterlee's Castle Dene Shopping Centre in 2008 was ditched after complaints from shoppers.

One councillor described it as a "twig" and only fit for a skip.

This year the shopping centre has pledged to make sure it installs a tree which will get people talking for the right reasons.

The centre will also spend £4,000 on new decorations.

Even when up and decorated with coloured lights, the 2008 Christmas tree was described by one shopper as "the worst in the country".

At the time, Councillor Joan Maslin, of what was then Easington Council, said she was "innundated" by complaints.

She described the tree as just like a twig, adding: "To be honest, it looks like something that people would throw in a skip after Christmas.

"It is an insult to Peterlee."

The Forestry Commission later offered a more robust spruce as a replacement.

Mike Weston, the centre manager, said he hoped one due to arrive for the switch on of lights on 26 November would get people talking for the right reasons.

He added: "The way things are at the moment everybody needs to do everything they can to get customers into the centre.

"This is the time of year when the stores have to make most of their money."