A UK Search and Rescue helicopter has created what could be the biggest Christmas tree in the country — all while training over Dartmoor. The festive flight path stretched from Okehampton to just shy of Ivybridge, delighting some and riling others.
Festive Flight Sparks Mixed Reactions
During a routine training session, the helicopter crew planned a low-level navigational route shaped like a Christmas tree. The impressive design was spotted on flight tracking site FlightRadar24, showing the huge festive shape across Dartmoor.
A spokesman for Bristow Helicopters said, “UK Search and Rescue teams are constantly training, and on this occasion, they were able to plan a particularly seasonal route for their routine helicopter exercises.”
He added, “An authorised and planned low-level training session gave the team the chance to create what could be the largest Christmas tree in the UK — while keeping their vital lifesaving skills sharp, 24/7.”
Public Divided Over Seasonal Stunt
While many cheered the Christmas cheer from the skies, others slammed the stunt amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. One critic fumed, “What a waste of fuel and to think of all those elderly people who can’t heat their houses, absolutely disgusting.”
Another echoed concerns over costs but some defended the move, recognising it was part of necessary training.
Bristow Confirms Training, Not Waste
Bristow Helicopters stressed the flight was an authorised, planned exercise integral to keeping rescue crews ready for emergencies round the clock. They added that the festive route was a clever way to spread some Christmas spirit without compromising essential training.
