It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

MELKSHAM’S town Christmas tree has arrived and taken up residence in the Market Place.

The tree was hand picked by Paul Weymouth and Graham Fryer of the Melksham Christmas Lights Committee and Melksham Mayor, cllr Terri Welch, back in October.

They spent two hours finding the perfect tree for the town and local people have already been praising the tree, even before the decorations have gone up.

Miriam Zaccarelli from Melksham Town Hall said, “As the tree forms the focal point of Melksham’s Christmas Lights switch on, it is really important to get the best tree possible. It is a real task to find one that is even sided, a good shape, tall enough, with full branches and a good strong top branch to put the star on.

“The tree is a magnificent Norway spruce with a slightly blue shade to the foliage and a deliciously fragrant Christmas tree smell.

“The Christmas Lights volunteers are preparing a carefully crafted winter scene to go at the base of the tree, along with a donations pot to collect contributions to the Christmas Lights.”

Paul Weymouth, as he deftly adorned the tree with strings of fantastic lights, said, ‘It seems like every year we get a bigger and better tree, but we have reached the limit of 40 feet because that is the limit of what can be transported on the lorry.”

Paul and his team have been busy getting the town ready to sparkle for the big switch-on that takes place this weekend. Paul said, “We can’t wait for everyone to see what we’ve done this year – the town will look fantastic.”