A TOUCH of Christmas sparkle was bought to Castle Point as new Christmas trees were planted across the borough.

Seven new twinkling trees have been installed in Benfleet, Hadleigh, Thundersley and Canvey in a bid to get residents in the festive spirit in the lead up to Christmas.

Five of the new festive shrubs, located at St James the Less Church in Hadleigh, Waterside Farm Leisure Centre in Canvey, the Canvey Gateway garden, the corner of Dark Lane and Hart Road in Thundersley, and School Lane in Benfleet, have been planted on a permanent basis to serve the community for years to come.

The two located at the Tarpots junction on London Road, and Manor Road will be bought out only during the holiday season.

This comes weeks after the authority scrapped plans to retain five Olympic flags outside Canvey library in High Street, in order to save the beloved Christmas tree in the town square.

Colin Riley, Conservative councillor responsible for environment and street scene, said: “We are really pleased to be able to have these new trees. I am sure they will go a long way to improving the look of the borough and getting people in the spirit of Christmas.

“Our Christmas decorations were looking a bit tired, and it is often difficult to get planning permission for traditional decorations. But hopefully residents will enjoy them. I’ve already had a few emails from people saying how they’ve really helped make their area look more festive which is nice to hear.”