'Is this the worst decorated Christmas tree in Britain?' Tame tree is BOOED by crowd at festive lights switch-on

It might technically be a Christmas tree with lights, but that hasn't stopped this lacklustre festive scene being slammed as the worst Christmas tree in Britain.

The sub-standard scene in Herne Bay, Kent, featured a pathetic limp tree with lights which barely reached the top.

A crowd of over 1,000 was left stunned by the "shocking" lights when pantomime stars Gareth Gates and Toyah Wilcox flicked the switch.

The switch-on was deemed so abysmal by locals that the assembled crowd booed when the two 'celebrities' turned the lights on.

One resident condemned the decorations as looking like a couple of domestic lightbulbs, while a local businessman laughingly claimed he had more decorations in his own shop window.

Shop owners slammed the council for wasting tax payers money and said the lights were so bad that they would damage their vital Christmas trade.

Revellers huddled in the bitter cold to view the town's grand switch-on, on Friday evening, but most left nearly two hours earlier than expected.

The council had hoped the lights would encourage a flurry of late night shopping and urged businesses to open until 7pm - but most potential shoppers had left by 5.45pm.

Greengrocer Stan Truelove, 57, said: "It took me an hour to put some lights and a few decorations up in my shop and it definitely looks better than these lights.

"We were asked to keep our shops open until 7pm but everyone left at 5.45pm.

"Christmas tree lights are supposed to put you in the mood for shopping but no one will want to spend money here.

"The lights are a waste of money because they look terrible."

Steve Warrener, a sports shop owner, said: "I think it must have been embarrassing for the council.

"There were a lot of people there and we had two stars in Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox. What must they have thought?

"There was no wow factor there at all. I just walked away."

Canterbury City Council have now launched a consultation over the Christmas tree lights.

A spokesman said: "The display in Herne Bay this year is the same as last year's, with the exception of some netting.

"Consultation on Christmas lights will start with businesses soon and we'll be keen to talk to those traders who are showing an interest in the display in their towns."

Costal Towns manger Chris West said: "There was more than a thousand people and it was bigger crowd than in Whitsable."