IT'S Southampton's very own leaning tower.

The city's Christmas tree may not yet be quite as iconic as the Italian tourist attraction the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which is known the world over for its unintended tilt.

But the fir, which towers around 30ft over Guildhall Square, is fast gathering a following from scores of fans from near and far.

Visitors to the city for the city's Flying Santa and German Christmas market have been detouring to have their picture taken alongside the tree in a joke pose which mimics holding it up.

Daily Echo:

High winds have added to the tree's tilt since it was first installed ahead of the Christmas lights switch on in mid November.

And it's now proving a hit for selfies on social media.

Perhaps it's actually an art piece, remarked one commentator, while another dubbed it Southampton's famous wonky tree.

Cllr Satvir Kaur, Cabinet Member for Homes and Culture at Southampton City Council, oversees the city's Christmas offering.

She told the Daily Echo: "It's definitely special! I've had lots of funny pictures and selfies in my inbox of people with the leaning tree.

"Obviously it wasn't intentional, but I'm happy for it to be a talking point. It's special and unique and gets people talking about the city and its Christmas offering.

"It's the first thing in years which has filled my inbox with nice comments. The Christmas Festival and all the twinkling lights really make a difference and have given people a real sense of pride in the city.

"I was born and bred in Southampton and for absolutely years everyone has really wanted a Christmas tree for the city. I'm really pleased we've got one in Guildhall Square this year, especially when it's quite quirky.

"It's amazing that Southampton has become the place to do Christmas and now people from all over the region are coming here to enjoy the festival season."

High winds of up to 44mph are forecast again over the next few days, which could cause further tilting of the tree, so fans should get their selfie while they can.