Preparations for a Christmas tree festival are set to go down to the wire - with the trees being delivered just a day before it launches.

Organisers of Fakenham Christmas Tree Festival, which is due to start on November 25, are still waiting for 42 trees to be delivered.

Various charities are anxiously waiting for their arrival so they can begin decorating at the town's parish church.

A national shortage of lorry drivers nationally has continued to plague delivery routes and supply chains across the country.

The trees, which are all donated by Fakenham Garden Centre, were scheduled to be delivered this week.

They should still arrive at the church on Wednesday (November 24), a day before the festival launches, but the festival committee will need to invite charities in the afternoon before they spend the evening decorating.

However, Wednesday's grand switch-on event, which had been set to feature the Bishop of Lynn, has been cancelled.

Roger Burbridge, a committee member for the festival, said: “We have been told that the lorry they are on is the first delivery, and that the delivery people know the importance of it.

“Most of the charities do not need more than a couple of hours to set up their trees. We are ready to go through the evening on Wednesday to allow the charities to get their trees decorated.

“We are in other people’s hands. We have got everything ready on our side and ready to go when the trees are ready.

“The charities are on alert, so as soon as the trees arrive they will be informed.

“The garden centre donates all these trees and we will never criticise them. They are very helpful and doing all they can to help us.”

A spokesman for Fakenham Garden Centre added: "There are not enough drivers; everything is out of our hands.

"The trees are coming but, unfortunately, it is just the case that it isn’t as easy anymore.

“It is close to the wire, but the festival will still go ahead with support from the garden centre."