Winchester police are hunting the vandals who felled the city's Christmas tree this week.

Officers are appealing for anyone who might have seen the yobs in the act in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The 30ft tree, which cost around £1,500 and was funded by city centre traders, was left strewn across the pedestrian precinct.

All that remained of the seasonal symbol was a four-foot stump.

Police said although the tree is just feet away from the High Street's CCTV system, the camera did not pick anything up.

The act was met with widespread condemnation from residents and business people.

Yesterday (Thursday), the High Street retained some semblance of seasonal cheer as tree surgeons salvaged what was left of the pine and repositioned it next to the Buttercross.

Most of the 200 lights, which were smashed when the tree was felled, will be replaced at a cost of a £1,000, thanks to local businesses.

Louise Akers, manager of the Slug and Lettuce pub, The Square, one of the tree's sponsors, said: "I just can't believe it. There's a camera right there, so I'm amazed no-one saw it happen. I was working until quarter to two and I didn't hear anything."

Isabel Farminer (20), a shop supervisor, on her way to work, discovered the devastating scene just after 9am on Wednesday.

"I thought it had fallen down at first but then I found out it had been cut down. I think it's disgusting. Who could possibly do such a thing?"

Resident for 30 years, Rex Blackledge (78), who said it wasn't the first time the city's tree had been targeted, saw the latest act of vandalism as symptomatic of trends in society. "They're not decorating it as much now because, year after year, it's been vandalised. It's become a regular target. If this is the way society behaves, I would say don't have a Christmas tree at all."

City centre manager, Graham Love, described the act as one of "shameless vandalism". He said the tree, which was managed by the city centre partnership and funded by traders, had been decorated this year with new lights.

"Often, the Christmas tree will suffer some minor acts of vandalism. Individuals pull off the baubles or lights, but on this occasion, it wasn't opportunist. It was a pre-planned attempt to fell the tree."

He said if the thugs were trying to express anger at the tree representing a waste of taxpayers' money, there was little point, as it was paid for by business and the local authority was also not a valid target, as the tree was the responsibility of the city centre partnership.

Mr Love said he was delighted at the way Winchester's community had rallied round in the crisis and had received several generous offers to help replace the tree, including one from the Churches Together in Winchester, who have also offered to replace its 400 baubles.

The city centre manager said he was pleased the tree was now back and that it would be re-dressed over the weekend or in the early part of next week.

Winchester's MP, Mark Oaten, declared that it was the work of a "sick mind", adding: "The tree provides enjoyment to everyone and I hope the police will check all closed-circuit television data to find out who this person was and that their name is published in the local newspapers."