A widow has paid tribute to her late husband as she turns on the lights of her 50-foot Christmas tree they planted together more than 40 years ago.

In 1979, Avril and Christopher Rowlands planted their £6 fir tree, which was once tiny, to mark their first Christmas together in their new home in Inkberrow, Worcestershire .

Now, more than four decades later, the massive tree towers over their four-bedroom detached house.

Since 2004, the couple used a cherry picker to decorate the tree with thousands of festive lights to switch on for the festive season.

Sadly, this year Avril is decorating the tree by herself as Christopher died from emphysema, a lung disease, in March.

Avril, 80, said: ‘I’m decorating the tree in honour of Chris this year because he loved the spectacle.

‘This year

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