PEOPLE in East Lancashire could be forced to pay more for a Christmas tree this year because of a national shortage of trees with non-drop needles.

The price rise has been caused because Imports of the Nordmann fir, which is grown in Denmark and has been the most popular tree in British households since the early 1990s, are to drop from 1.2million last year to just 300,000.

This is because a ruling by the European Union to scrap subsidies has put many growers out of business.

Although Nordmann firs are grown on plantations in Britain there are not enough to meet the annual demand - meaning customers will either have to pay more, or go for a different tree and risk being showered in needles.

But customers are being reassured that there are still enough trees in East Lancashire to meet local demand, even though they might have to pay more than £30 for what they want.

Chris Day owner of The British Christmas Tree Company based in Whalley said:"The national shortage of Christmas trees has put pressure on other varieties of trees.

"Throughout East Lancashire tree prices have increased by about 25 percent because of the shortage.

"There are enough trees to go around but not all will be of the non-drop variety. My advice to people who want a non-drop tree is to buy one early."

Mary Ellis owner of Lakeside Garden Centre, Skipton Road, Foulridge said:"We haven't had a problem getting hold of non-drop trees because we use the same suppliers every year but I know that some garden centres have struggled to get them.

"But we have been forced to increase our prices slightly because the trees have increased in price.

"Early sales of trees have increased this year but there are still plenty left for people who want real trees."

Kerris Casey-St. Pierre, 32 from Blackburn web-based company The Living Christmas Tree, which provides people with rooted trees, said:"There has been a real shortage of non-drop trees which has meant more people are trying to get hold of trees earlier.

"Because our trees are living and have been grown in pots they do not drop their needles which has meant we have had a higher demand than last year.

"People should not worry about getting trees in time for Christmas, but if people want a non-drop tree they will have to buy one earlier or buy a living tree."