People have decided to give a town's "disgraceful" Christmas tree a makeover.

The not so festive fir is in North Street, Strood next to the Timepiece statue.

Many people have taken to social media to express their outrage at the sparsely decorated tree.

Local butcher Gary Hunt said: "It's a disgrace, it looks like someone's dug it out their back garden.

"We pay enough council tax, I mean come on it's Christmas.

"Where is the good will?

"All they've got to do is spend a couple hundred quid, get a good tree and get a man with a ladder to put up some proper decorations.

"I drive past it every day, it's an absolute eye sore.

"We butchers don't like cleaning out the turkeys for Christmas and we still do it, why can't they do up a tree."

Others have decided to take it into their own hands to restore some Christmas cheer in Strood.

The tree now boasts gold baubles, hot pink and silver tinsel.

Councillor Jane Chitty said: "The ward councillors fund the tree, the lighting isn't so good because we couldn't get the energy supply.

"Unfortunately we can't put baubles or anything like that on the tree because of health and safety.

"If a child got hold of one and smashed it or hurt themselves it would be really serious.

"The ward councillors will continue to support the Christmas tree.

"We're hoping it will be bigger and better next year."