An Oxfordshire farmer has explained why real Christmas trees are better than fake ones.

Anne Gow, who runs Farmer Gow’s family farm near Faringdon, has been supplying locally grown, natural Christmas trees for more than 30 years.

She said: "Our natural Christmas trees are harvested from local, sustainable forests, because we are keen to support biodiversity and woodland.

"Real trees provide natural habitats and don’t require the carbon emissions it takes to produce fake trees."

The Soil Association states that a two-metre artificial tree has a carbon footprint of around 40kg, more than ten times that of a real tree that's burned after Christmas.

Ms Gow said: "Natural Christmas trees are biodegradable and can have zero chemical impact on the earth.

"Composted trees can be used for lumber, mulch, and fertilisation, ready for the following year's crop."

She said that when managed correctly, tree farms can rotate harvests through different tree patches to ensure that early-successional species have usable habitat.

Farmer Gow’s recycles trees and encourages customers to do the same.

Buyers are always welcome to bring their cut trees back to the farm once the Christmas season is over.

They are then used across the farm for conservation and habitat projects.

To find out more about real Christmas trees, visit Farmer Gow’s at Fernham Road, Longcot, Faringdon, or online.