A fundraising campaign has been launched after money for a Christmas tree was struck from the council budget.

Councillors and campaigners are calling on businesses to help contribute to a "tree fund" around £7,000 needed to pay for lights and a tree for George Green in Wanstead.

The lights and tree, which is erected on the last Friday of November every year, will no longer be funded by Redbridge council.

Conservative councillor Susan Nolan said: "It is an outrage this small amount of money has been taken away by the council for an event each year that has become an institution.

"Labour has cancelled Christmas in Wanstead and we have set up a tree fund to raise the money needed to get it back."

Wanstead Society chairman Geoff Horsnell said: “I believe this is a worthwhile thing to be aiming for as £7,000 is not an unobtainable figure.

“Wanstead needs its Christmas tree, it is ridiculous to take it away as I can’t imagine a year without it.

"It brings people to the area and is good for businesses.”

Each year the Mayor of Redbridge attends a ceremony, along with hundreds of schoolchildren, to turn on the Christmas lights in Wanstead, but without funding this will not go ahead.

Wes Streeting, deputy leader of Redbridge council, responded to criticism by saying the decision to take funding away was purely financial.

He said: “Costs all add up, unfortunately, and the council has some hard financial choices to make over the next four years.

“I don’t want people to be under any illusions about the financial difficulties facing this council and we have to be fair and treat all local areas in Redbridge equally.

“I am fully behind local businesses and residents clubbing together and I wish them all the best in their endeavours.”