Image source, DFDS Image caption,

The Norwegian spruce arrived at the Port of Immingham after its journey from Scandinavia

By Tom Airey

BBC News

A giant Christmas tree destined for London's Trafalgar Square has arrived in England.

The 62ft (19m) Norwegian spruce grew in Nordmarka, the forests north of Oslo, and will be officially unveiled in the capital next Thursday.

The tree, which is sent each year as a token of thanks for Britain's support during World War Two, is at the Port of Immingham after arriving by boat.

It will undergo checks before being taken to London on Saturday.

Jonathan Lowden, DFDS Seaways director of operations at Immingham Terminal, called the cargo its "VIT - very important tree".

"It's something we've done for a number of years now and something we're very proud of," he said.

"We put it onto our vessel in our Brevik terminal on Monday. It sailed and stopped at Gothenburg en-route."

Image source, DFDS Image caption,

The tree has been sent as a gift from Norway to Britain since the end of World War Two