Imaginative decorating of Christmas trees gave people the opportunity to reflect on the festive season in a different way.

It was the fifth year running that Felixstowe Salvation Army had staged a Christmas Tree Festival – with 34 trees for visitors to enjoy this year.

The trees had been decorated by a range of organisations and charities from around the town, each taking the opportunity to provide colourful and different designs, most reflecting their work in the community.

Designs included one by volunteers at FACTS (Felixstowe Area Community Transport Scheme) with a tree made out of tyres and baubles carrying slogans, often humorous.Another group created a palm tree with knitted and crocheted leaves.

Barbara Mellor, community centre manager at the Felixstowe Salvation Army Corps in Cobbold Road, said the festival, which lasted five days this year, was growing in popularity each year.

She said: “We had hundreds of people through the doors this year and the festival is getting well-known and people are looking out for it each year.

“The designs were wonderful and those who took part had put a lot of effort and imagination into their work.”

Mayor of Felixstowe, Graham Newman, who officially opened the festival and switched on all the lights, chose Coffee Break, the women’s English language group, as his winning tree, while the public vote winner was Old Felixstowe Community Association.