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Quaint Suffolk town left disappointed after Christmas tree swapped for tinsel-decorated flagpole

Framlingham in Suffolk’s flag pole as a Christmas tree.  December 13, 2019.  Residents in Ed Sheeran's home town were left disappointed earlier this week when their traditional Christmas tree was replaced - by a flagpole wrapped in tinsel.  See SWNS story SWCAtree.  Locals in quaint Framlingham, Suffolk, gather every year for 'Festive Fram'  - the switching on of festive lights around a huge Scandinavian Christmas tree.  However this year revellers were left spluttering in their mulled wine when they discovered the centrepiece of the celebration was actually a spartan flag-pole.  The traditional tree, paid for by local businesses, had failed to arrive after another fir fell on the delivery driver and left him hospitalised, they were told.  A replacement was ordered but also failed to arrive.  Determined not to let the accident spoil the event, the business association came up with the idea of erecting a flag-pole with a star on top and stringing some lights on it.  However some residents took to social med
Residents in Framlingham, Suffolk, were left disappointed when their traditional Christmas tree was replaced by a flagpole wrapped in tinsel (Picture: SWNS)

Every year locals in the quaint Suffolk town of Framlingham gather for ‘Festive Fram’ - the annual switching on of the festive lights around their huge Scandinavian Christmas tree.

But this year revellers were left disappointed when their tree was replaced by a lone flagpole decorated with tinsel.

The underwhelming moment was the product of an unfortunate state of affairs after the traditional tree, paid for by local businesses, failed to arrive when another fir fell on the delivery driver and left him hospitalised.

A replacement was ordered but also failed to arrive.

The disappointment has echoes of people’s gripe about Trafalgar Square’s Christmas tree, which has been dubbed ‘anaemic’ and ‘thin’.

The local business association came up with the idea after a series of unfortunate events meant their tree didn't arrive (Picture: SWNS)
The local business association came up with the idea after a series of unfortunate events meant their tree didn't arrive (Picture: SWNS)

Rather than let the event be spoiled, the business association came up with the idea of erecting a flag-pole with a star on top and stringing some lights on it.

But despite their efforts, some residents voiced their disappointment at the pole, which has been erected in Market Hill in the centre of the town.

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Sue Foster said: “Sorry folks have I missed something, popped up to town yesterday to catch the end of festive fram, what an earth has happened to the tree, a decorated pole can't really be it.”

But another person backed the emergency effort, saying: “I think it looked really nice last night, it’s all decorated with lights.”

Residents were left disappointed by the substitution (Picture: SWNS)
Residents were left disappointed by the substitution (Picture: SWNS)

A spokesman from Framlingham Business Association said it was a “huge disappointment” that their ordered tree didn't arrive in time.

But he added: “We are still festive... it is just not the tree we expected. It's not worth getting another now.

“A lot of people have been saying this is an eco way to go, so it's something to look at.”

Ed Sheeran grew up in the town and now lives in a nearby private estate.