Christmas tree is really rubbish

The tree was made by staff and visitors to Eden over several weeks

A giant Christmas tree made from thousands of recycled plastic bags and bottles has gone on display at the Eden Project in Cornwall.

The 10m (33ft) tree was designed by Redruth artist Pete Hill and made by staff and visitors at the ecological park over several weeks.

A spokesman for the park said importing a real tree that tall from abroad would have had a "big carbon footprint".

The bags and bottles tree will be taken down and recycled after Christmas.

I think it shows something incredible can be made out of something very uninspiring Emma Hogg, Eden Project

Emma Hogg, Eden's live programme producer, said: "The beautiful big Christmas trees you see can't be sourced locally so they're not sustainable.

"Last year we had lots of little trees but this year we wanted to make a big tree that everyone could add to.

"I think it shows something incredible can be made out of something very uninspiring."

The tree is made up of about 500m (1,640ft) of "plastic bag tinsel" (bags wound around a rope) and plastic bottles cut into sections to form flowers.

The fairy on top is a second hand life-size shop mannequin, whose dress and wings are made from recycled industrial plastic film.

The tree will be on display at Eden until 6 January.