Pride of place in Parliament for Northumberland tree

Each year, a special tree is selected from Kielder Forest to fell and transport to the capital to decorate New Palace Yard in the Palace of Westminster.

The 45-feet-tall Sitka spruce is one of three trees sent to the heart of Government by the Forestry Commission, with two smaller trees standing in Westminster Hall and the Speaker’s State Rooms.

This year, Northumberland County Council sent a special county-branded giant bauble to Westminster to mark the positioning of the New Palace Yard tree. This was pictured next to the tree with Guy Opperman, MP for the constituency which includes Kielder Forest.

The Parliament Christmas trees have come from Kielder for the last 16 years.