They may look green and bare, but the newly-arrived firs will soon be transformed into a magical mini-forest of Christmas trees in Tavistock parish church.

A group of volunteers from St Eustachius’ Church congregation took delivery of the trees from the back of a truck today (Tuesday, November 25) for the first phase of Tavistock Christmas Tree Festival.

The festival opens with a mayoral ceremony on Friday, November 28 after the community has decorated them for the public to admire over Christmas and help raise church maintenance and improvement funds.

The trees will soon be decorated in a myriad of themes by community groups, schools, companies, Tavistock Library, Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group Tavistock and many others.

Festival organiser Vanessa Bowles said: “It’s so exciting to finally have the trees delivered by Lukesland in Ivybridge.

“To get to this point has taken many months of hard work and I’m grateful to all the members of the community and the congregation for helping set it up. I’m really looking forward to seeing all the groups and organisations dressing the trees in their own individual ways.”

The opening ceremony is at 2.30pm on Friday.

After the launch entry donations of £1 per adult are requested (children go free).

Opening times are 10am to 4pm every day apart from the following: Friday, November 28, 2.30pm to 4pm; Sunday, November 30, 11am to 4pm; Wednesday, December 3, 11am to 4pm; Friday, December 5, late opening for Dickensian Evening, 10am to 9pm; and finally, Sunday, December 7, 11am to 4pm.