Raising Salisbury Cathedral’s giant 32ft Christmas tree

A giant 32ft (9.75m) tall Christmas tree has been hoisted into position in the nave of Salisbury Cathedral.

The Norway Spruce was delivered to the cathedral on the back of a lorry and manoeuvred into the building with a cherry picker.

The "perfect Christmas tree" was selected by the Cathedral's Clerk of Works from Longleat Forest more than a year ago.

It will remain in place until Candlemas on 2 February, 2024.

Raising the Cathedral's gigantic tree involved a team from the Works Yard using a small winch and a system of ropes.

But it fell to ecclesiastical joiner Richard Pike, to decorate the tree with more than 1,000 fairy lights.

The huge tree was originally grown as a "nurse" tree on the Longleat Estates sustainable forest to try and protect small self-seeded oak trees.

By allowing the conifers to grow tall, the trees can shield little oaks from frost and bad weather, and create a microclimate in which saplings can flourish.

The tree will remain in place until Candlemas, the day on which the Church celebrates the presentation of Jesus in the temple.

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