REPEATED vandalism of a charity Christmas tree has left the organisers doubting whether they should provide one next year.

Sedgefield Round Table provide the Christmas tree for the village green each year. But after paying for new lights to replace the set stolen last year, members were furious to discover vandals had sawn it down.

The tree was felled at about 2am on December 29, causing £400 damage and forcing its removal.

Eric Leighton, the Round Table's press officer, said: "They actually cut it down and left it on its side in the middle of the green.

"We had to cut the lights off to move it and we had just paid £230 for them after we bought new lights to replace the ones that were stolen last year.

"It is the time and effort we put into this, as a charity, and we are beginning to wonder whether it is worth it."

The vandalism has been reported to the police, who are hopeful that the culprits can be identified from closed-circuit television footage.