25 December,2016 12:44 PM IST | | AFP
Sri Lanka surpassed the world record for the tallest artificial Christmas tree Saturday despite building delays forcing organisers to prune the structure by almost half
Arjuna Ranatunga
Colombo: Sri Lanka surpassed the world record for the tallest artificial Christmas tree Saturday despite building delays forcing organisers to prune the structure by almost half, an official said.
Cricket legend Arjuna Ranatunga initiated plans to build the record-breaking tree in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, but ran into opposition from the Catholic church which said the money would be better spent on charity.
Sri Lankan cricket legend Arjuna Ranatunga-initiated Christmas tree stands tall in Colombo on Saturday. Pic/AFP
As of Saturday morning, the tree was about 57 metres (187 feet) tall, two metres taller than an artificial Christmas tree erected in the southern Chinese province of Guangzhou last year. The Sri Lankan claim is subject to confirmation by the Guinness World Records.
