MEDIA claims that Christmas trees will be in short supply this year due to the long, hot summer, has been disputed by tree farmers in Worcestershire.

Last week, a national newspaper claimed up to one third of all trees grown in this country had been wiped out by the summer drought.

But Worcestershire farmers say the hot weather has not affected their crops, and it will be business as usual this Yuletide.

Award-winning tree grower Geoff Baker, whose business G A Baker, Acton Fields in Acton, near Ombersley, specialises in Christmas trees, said he had not noticed a change in his crop since the hot weather.

His business harvests 5,000 trees a year.

Very well

"They all look very well," said Mr Baker, whose company won The Best Pine of the Year at the British Christmas Tree Growers annual dinner three weeks ago.

"The weather is bound to have an effect on them, but hopefully not much.

"People who buy them should water them more than normally."

Nick Beard, whose family business Leigh Sinton Farm and Nurseries grows Christmas trees, said he has noticed nothing out of the ordinary with his stock since the hot summer.

"There will not be a short supply when we come to harvest the last week in November," he said.

"The rainfall has been a lot less this summer, but there's no reason why this should affect things.

"We harvest 7,000 trees a year and sell on two retail sites.

"Our trees are two or three days old when they go on sale and they are as fresh as can be."