Video
You now can go through a Christmas tree netting machine - in the name of charity
Chloe Tucker is wrapped up for Christmas as she goes through the Christmas tree netting machine at Thorpe Plant Centre. The owner is offering the quirky experience for a donation to the Teenage Cancer Trust. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY - Credit: Copyright: Archant 2018
The man behind a plant centre on the edge of Norwich has come up with an unlikely way to raise cash for a charity this Christmas.
Having received requests each year from customers asking to go through the Christmas tree netting machine, Paul Oxborrow, from the Thorpe Plant Centre, decided to open up the machine to anyone willing to pay £1.
The funds will be donated to the Teenager Cancer Trust in East Anglia.
Paul Oxborrow, Thorpe Plant Centre owner, who is offering the quirky experience of going through the Christmas tree netting machine for a donation to the Teenage Cancer Trust. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY - Credit: Copyright: Archant 2018
After posting about the idea on Facebook, Mr Oxborrow said the response to the post had been 'crazier' than he could have imagined and is expecting a busy weekend at the centre.
The Teenage Cancer Trust is a charity close to Mr Oxborrow's and his family's hearts, after his son lost a very good friend to cancer.
Chloe Tucker is wrapped up for Christmas after going through the Christmas tree netting machine at Thorpe Plant Centre. Paul Oxborrow, owner, is offering the quirky experience for a donation to the Teenage Cancer Trust. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY - Credit: Copyright: Archant 2018
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The centre is based at 191A Plumstead Road East in Norwich.
Chloe Tucker is wrapped up for Christmas after going through the Christmas tree netting machine at Thorpe Plant Centre. The owner is offering the quirky experience for a donation to the Teenage Cancer Trust. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY - Credit: Copyright: Archant 2018
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Our reporter's experience
I was the lucky one who got to experience being wrapped up like a Christmas tree - all in the name of journalism.
Mr Oxborrow likened the device to a sausage machine, consisting of a funnel with netting on one end that wraps the tree or person up as they are fed through.
I wriggled my way headfirst into the tunnel with the help of Mr Oxborrow's son pushing me in by the legs.
The process wasn't as straightforward as I'd imagined due to the small drop between the funnel and the mattress placed to soften my landing.
It was a two-person job to lower me out of the funnel where I then lay wrapped head to toe in netting.
Being fed through a netting machine wasn't quite what I'd expected to be doing during my work experience but it was definitely in the spirit of silliness at Christmas!
