A pair of Christmas trees in Wirral have become a symbol of Christmas joy and happiness thanks to one resident.
Sue Tiggs Wilkinson, 51, wanted to make people smile this Christmas after a second year of uncertainty and concern regarding the covid crisis.
As a way to spread "community happiness", Sue called for all locals to get involved in decorating two Christmas trees which had been installed in New Brighton.
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The Wirral woman was inspired by a similar initiative she had seen during a trip to Yorkshire a few years back.
Sue, who lives within walking distance of the newly decorated trees on Victoria Road , told the ECHO : “We go to Whitby in North Yorkshire a lot and the other year the council put a pretty dismal tree up, so in a local Facebook group they requested people add a Christmas bauble to brighten it up.
“Lots from afar who also visited asked if they could either make one or buy one and add it or if someone was from afar there was a lady buying them and adding their names and where they were from - really did look nice in the end.”
Fortunately for Sue, her plan was already half way complete after a local regeneration company installed two undecorated 20ft Christmas trees earlier this month.
The person behind the public Christmas trees is Danny Davies, Chief Executive and Founder of Rockpoint Leisure and CEO of Rockpoint Records in New Brighton.
Last year, Danny was named one of the ECHO’s most influential people in Merseyside after leading the regeneration of New Brighton through Rockpoint Leisure - his private-sector development and regeneration company.
The aim of the project is to create a vibrant, independent cultural-hub in New Brighton and counter the neglect the project’s founders believe the area has suffered from in recent decades.
Danny has lived in New Brighton his entire life and, after making his money providing professional training for clients across the world, said he wants to give something back to his hometown.
He told the ECHO: "This is around the third or fourth year we have installed the trees in New Brighton.
"We started it because New Brighton often gets overlooked and we want to make the place look loved. So we went out and paid for and installed them before the locals have gone out and bought some decorations for it.
" This year particularly challenging because of covid, so we just try and spread some cheer across community."
After spotting the community trees being set up earlier this month, Sue approached Rockpoint and requested permission for the public to decorate them which Sue said was met with enthusiasm by Danny and Rockpoint manager Donna.
Informing the people of New Brighton about her plan, the 51-year-old posted on a local Facebook page inviting members of the community to come along and place their own bauble on them.
She wrote: "Victoria Road getting some Christmas Trees up. Fancy decorating a bauble and adding it to one of the trees, or making a little decoration of some sort? Then go for it, let's make them splendidly decorated Community Christmas trees."
The post received almost 200 likes and Sue said she has continued to receive positive feedback from locals across the borough who have since taken part in placing their own decorations on the trees.
Locals filled the comment section of the original post to comment on how "lovely" the idea was and promising to get involved.
One person wrote: "Will pop mine on tomorrow morning x"
Another said: "Will definitely be adding some baubles!"
A third person commented: "Beautiful work" and another branded the new tradition a "great idea".
While another suggested: "Someone get to B&Q get the reduced items to dec the tree. Merry street Victoria Xmas!"
She added: "Everyone has commented on how lovely the trees look, especially now as all the mesh has been taken off and the lights have been put up.
"I wanted to get the community involved in making the trees look Christmassy and now there's a sense of community happiness when you see all the different decorations on the trees."
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