RESIDENTS have begun adding their own decorations to Walthamstow Town Centre's Christmas tree following complaints it did not look festive enough.

The tongue-in-cheek "guerilla" additions include tinsel and stars added to the metal barriers which surround the council's tree on the Arcade Site by Hoe Street.

The idea came about following a discussion among  users of social media website Twitter, who are now urging other residents to join in and add their own decorations.

It comes after several years of affectionate mocking of the tree for being "wonky" and being surrounded by distinctly un-festive security barriers.

Walthamstow-based artist 'Warpdog' has even capitalised on its reputation this year by selling her own Christmas cards featuring a photograph of the leaning tree.

She sells several types of festive cards featuring jokey scenes of Walthamstow - including shots of discarded mattresses - but says the tree version is by far the most popular.

According to some Twitter users residents plan to put further decorations on the tree and the barriers over the next few days.

A spokesman for Waltham Forest Council said: “The tree looks beautiful with just the lights.

"The council isn’t convinced that adding more decorations will make it look any more ‘festive’ and wouldn’t encourage people to hang further decorations on the tree, but obviously everyone is entitled to their opinion.”