Shoppers fume after spotting Christmas trees on display in the Range

The spotting of the festive firs didn’t go down well on social media, but a spokesman defended the early arrival, as they said many shoppers were starting their planning early

It definitely feels like the end of summer – the weather is rubbish, the sun hasn’t been seen for weeks and there’s an autumnal chill in the air.

But it’s fair to say that not many of us are feeling festive yet – with a couple of months to go before the big day.

So shoppers at a branch of the range were stunned to see Christmas trees on sale 115 days before the big day.

The fake festive firs were put on display in The Range earlier this week.

An eagle-eyed resident spotted them being unveiled in the branch in Worcester, Worcs. The 42-year-old, from the city, fumed “Oh come on, it’s only just b****y September.”

Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here.

Another local blasted: “No, just NO NO NO.”

And one joked: “Santa is not ready.”

But others argued that some classic festive cheer is needed, adding:: “We all need the joy of Christmas as early as possible.”

Another quipped: “We’ll be back in lockdown again. Get ‘em while you can.”

A spokesperson for The Range said: “We know that thinking about Christmas early is one of those polarising subjects in the UK.

“But the recent bad weather looks to have really created a shift in peoples’ shopping habits this year.”

The Range – which has 180 stores nationwide selling home, garden and leisure products – is also selling Christmas stock online.

The spokesperson added: “Our online team are reporting consumer demand for Christmas items already and website searches reveal that people are wanting to shop earlier this year.

“After a turbulent year, friends and family are planning to gather to celebrate in a big way and the planning is starting early.”