VOLUNTEERS taking part in RSPB Arne's annual 'Pull a Pine' event will be able to take home their own Christmas tree this weekend.

Saturday's event, at the nature reserve which recently hosted the BBC Autumnwatch programme, is essential in the overall health of the reserve.

An RSPB spokesman explained: "Help us with our conservation work to remove small pines that threaten our internationally important heathland.

"As a thank you, take home your very own local, sustainable, and free Christmas tree."

Hot food and drink will be on sale during the event, and there will be other festive crafts to explore.

The heathland habitat at Arne is rarer than tropical rainforest - over the last 200 years there has been an 80 per cent reduction in Dorset alone.

The 'Pull a Pine' event was launched a decade ago to help maintain the heath.

Left unattended, heathland can quickly turn into woodland, and RSPB staff regular cut back the gorse and heather.

Because of the numbers of invasive pine trees that need to be removed every year, dozens of volunteers are drafted-in for the festive pine pull.

Participants on Saturday will be welcome to cut down a pine to take home as a Christmas tree for free, or take home one of the many pre-cut trees prepared by volunteers.

The event, on Saturday, December 3, takes place from 11am-3pm.

Visit rspb.org.uk for further information.