FESTIVE spirit has been uprooted in Barrow Bridge after a small tree was stolen for the second time.

Last month, The Bolton News reported that villagers were stumped after a tree planted over the summer was stolen.

The Korean Fir, grown locally from seed, was planted by the Barrow Bridge Mission on July 29.

A second tree was planted in the same spot after “special branch” investigations saw no sign of the spruce at the bus terminus where it had been planted.

Janet Ainsworth, secretary of church leadership team, said the new tree was also discovered missing on Saturday but, this time, they did not have to search for long.

She said: “A neighbour found it in the river – you could see it from the bridge.

“We never really thought to look in the river, it’s a good job there wasn’t more water in there or it would have been washed away.

“It seems a strange thing to steal.”

The tree was being grown for the village’s Christmas Tree Festival on December 14 and 15. It has now been replanted but will not be big enough to feature in this year’s festival.

The festival will feature 12 local schools and organisations coming to decorate a Nordic spruce, with carols being sung during the switch-on ceremony.

When asked what they could do to prevent ‘pining’ for the return of yet another tree, Janet admitted that options were limited.

She said: “I do not know what we can do, to tell you the truth.

“I’d rather give them the tree if they’re in such need of it.

“I put a nice bit of horse manure on it and hopefully that will keep people off it because they don’t want to get smelly."

Previously, the congregation planted bulbs at the terminus and installed a bench in an attempt to improve the area for both the local community and the visitors to the popular beauty spot.