Another tree has been planted in Thorpe St Andrew to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Earlier last month a Jubilee orchard of around 15 trees was planted at the Hillside Avenue allotments and this weekend there was a second Jubilee tree planted, on River Green.

Thorpe town mayor, John Ward, and deputy town mayor, Ian Mackie, planted a swamp cypress tree at River green on Saturday, in a ceremony attended by town councillors and residents.

Thorpe St Andrew Town Council clerk, Steven Ford, said: 'It will develop into a large deciduous pyramidal conifer with fibrous brown bark with small round cones that are purple when young.

'In the autumn it develops a brilliant red display before it finally sheds its growth.'

At the moment the tree looks rather bare but is expected to start to grow foliage in late spring and really take off from July onwards, allowing it to be used as the centrepiece of the Christmas light display at River Green later in the year.

Mr Ford continued: 'We were advised by tree experts that a normal Christmas tree was not suited for the riverside location and this variety was recommended as a tree that will be quite spectacular as it matures.

'It originates from the Florida Everglades and the national champion of the variety in America is 28m tall and 29m wide.

'With our climate we're not expecting ours to grow as big as that but it will make an interesting feature on the Green.'

- Have you got a Thorpe St Andrew story? Contact reporter David Freezer on 01603 772418 or david.freezer@archant.co.uk