A 35ft Christmas tree is attracting more than a few curious looks at a Bournemouth home.

At first glance it looks as if the massive tree has burst straight through the roof of the six-bedroom house in Carbery Avenue.

But dad-of-three Greig Howe has painstakingly cut the £250 tree into three sections with the huge trunk in the living room, the middle section in a spare bedroom and the top perched on a flat part of the roof.

He set about creating the optical illusion after one of his three sons complained that last year’s Christmas tree was too small.

Greig asked the fire service if they'd like to come and put a star on the tree as a bit of a joke - and they said they would, as long as his star was a smoke detector.

The service is running an awareness campaign to highlight the importance of being careful with your Christmas tree.

“I wanted to give the kids a Christmas they wouldn’t forget,” said Greig, a 35-year-old designer.