Londoners are nonplussed by the 'half dead' Trafalgar Square Christmas tree 

Bemused Londoners have expressed their disappointment after the famous Trafalgar Square Christmas tree arrived in London looking 'scrawny' and 'half dead'.

The Norwegian spruce has been an annual gift to the people of London from Oslo each year since 1947, as a token of gratitude for British support for Norway during the Second World War.

But this year, the famous Christmas tree has attracted attention for all the wrong reasons, with Londoners complaining that the 24metre tree (78ft) looked 'half eaten' and 'hungover' ahead of tomorrow night's lighting ceremony.

Photographs taken on Wednesday showed hydraulic cranes raising the tree next to Nelson's Column, but the tree's 'spindly' appearance left many passersby underwhelmed.

Taking to Twitter, bewildered locals joked the spruce, which was felled from a Norwegian forest in November, proves Britain has offended Norway after Brexit and disagreements earlier this year about fishing rights.

One user quipped: 'Have we gone to war with Norway?'

Another wrote: 'We're in for a terrible Christmas this year, this tree has predicted it.'

While a third commented: 'Nothing says global Britain like a half dead tree!'

And a fourth penned: 'Good grief, has it got a hangover?'

A fifth person joked the Norwegian spruce looked like the magnificent tree from How the Grinch Stole Christmas - after it was burned to a crisp by the festive-hating Grinch.

And another person said, 'Norway has not taken the sacking of Ole Gunnar

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