Health And Safety Fears Over Christmas Tree

4 December 2012, 09:25 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A £10,500 electronic Christmas tree in County Durham's had to be taken down over fears that someone could be electrocuted.

The blue-lit frost-effect tree was lit up at Saturday's switch-on in Stanley that was watched by a crowd that came out to see Emmerdale actor Ross Adams and the traditional lights.

But the LED-tree had to be guarded overnight before it was dismantled on Sunday over health and safety fears about its 240v power supply.

It wasn't wired incorrectly but there were fears that anyone tampering with the display could get a massive shock.

Guidelines suggested a maximum voltage for an unsupervised public display of just 24v.

There are plans to have the power supply altered so it can be re-erected.

Stanley Town Council had chosen the model of tree as part of a £15,000 investment in a programme of events around Christmas to boost visitor numbers.

Durham County councillor Carl Marshall said:
"It was not a danger when lit up. However, if anybody interfered with it, swung on the branches or the junction boxes when they were messing about, they could get a big shock.

Mr Marshall, a director of the not-for-profit body Stanley Events which organised the show, said the town council picked the tree, then got the organising body to erect it.

Stanley is not without a Christmas tree - it still has a real one in the town centre display.