THE Christmas countdown has begun for forestry workers on the North York Moors.
The felling of more than 10,000 Christmas trees began on Wednesday to ensure shops all over the country will be supplied in time for Christmas.
The moors are the Forestry Commission's biggest producer of the Norway spruce and the trees will travel as far as the South-East of England.
Forester Iwan Downey said: "It is a race against time and sometimes against the elements too. North York Moors trees are prized for their foliage and shape and we try to make sure they are supplied as fresh as possible.
"It is a very labour-intensive job, with each tree cut individually, so we are hoping the snow and ice stays away until Christmas day."
Work is being carried out by Pickering contractor Dave Wardell, with a team of hardy lumberjacks.
Meanwhile, about 20,000 saplings are being planted to replace those felled as part of the district-wide programme to restock the forests with over one million saplings
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