VANDALS attacked Great Barrow’s Christmas tree for the third time, removing most of its branches.

Villagers were shocked on December 23 when they woke to find the tree had been attacked again.

The majority of the branches had been removed from and the lights had been cut to pieces.

The first attack happened on the evening of December 7, when the decorated tree was stolen from the centre of the village.

A trail of debris was left but there was no sign of the tree.

The Parish Council managed to find a replacement tree in time for their Christmas lights switch-on celebrations, which took place the next day.

On the evening of Thursday, December 12, an attempt was made to steal the replacement tree. It was left damaged but was still standing because it had been chained to a lamp post.

Rachel Morrison, of Mill Lane, said: “The attack must have been carried out between 1.30am and 5am in the morning. My husband and I were returning from a party at 1.30am and it was fine then.

“A parishioner then rang the chairman of Barrow Parish Council, Peter Dobbs, at 5am to tell him that the tree had been attacked.

“My daughter and the other children in the village find it very difficult to understand why someone would want to harm their special tree.”

Her husband, Ian, said: “It must have been planned because they have used some sort of secateurs to cut off the branches. We just can’t understand why they would want to do it.”

Mr Dobbs said: “We haven’t had much vandalism at all in Barrow and it just seems extraordinary that it is our tree that keeps getting attacked.”

Inspector Phil Hodgson, of Cheshire Constabulary, said: “If anyone has any information we would urge them to contact the police.”