Christmas tree driver lays waste to small German town

A truck drops a load of freshly harvested Christmas trees in Oregon, US. A German man was obviously after a much more impressive tree for his celebrations. Photo / Getty

A man with an oversized Christmas tree has left a trail of destruction in his wake after blundering through a small town in southern Germany with it hanging off the back of his truck.

The hapless driver, who had apparently completely underestimated the size of the tree, towed it on his trailer through the picturesque town of Kandern, in Baden-Württemberg, on Saturday morning.

Unaware of the size of his truck's large backside, the man bashed into several road signs and damaged a bridge as he swerved round corners and made his way through town.

Street signs were felled by the tree. Photo / Polizei Freiburg

His reckless driving meant oncoming motorists had to slam on the emergency brakes to avoid smashing into the tree, local police said.

Meanwhile, those driving behind him were forced to swerve to avoid branches that had broken away en route.

According to local paper the Badische Zeitung, which has attempted to track the Christmas tree's journey, the driver would have passed through woodland and a number of small streets, before making it onto the highway, where he was eventually spotted at around 11am.

Police have been appealing for witness to the carnage on social media. Photo / Polizei Freiburg

One shocked motorist contacted the police, who tracked the driver by simply following the trail of branches.

The driver will now have to pay for the damage he and his Christmas tree have caused, according to local police.

He will also be charged for fleeing the scene of an accident and for other small administrative offences.

Police officers say they cannot believe he failed to notice the chaos he was causing.

"The driver must have noticed because of the extent of the damage," police said in a report.

As the man awaits criminal proceedings, police are urging local residents and witnesses to come forward with more information and any further reports of damage.