OLD Christmas trees have been planted on a beach to rebuild and fortify the sand dunes ahead of the summer influx of tourists.

Almost 100 trees were scattered across Barmouth beach earlier this month in a bid to combat costal erosion.

The recycled Christmas trees are buried and used to trap sand in order to mimic the naturally occurring marram grass, which has been lost due to people trampling along the picturesque coast.

Photographer Wayne Lewis, 39, who spotted the trees on the sands earlier this month, said: “I was a little bit shocked at first.

“I really didn’t expect to see Christmas trees on the beach and thought they had been dumped or tipped.

“It wasn’t until I walked closer and saw the ‘Dune restoration project’ signs that I realised what a good use these discarded trees were being put to.”

The trees on the sand will also help stop as much sand blowing onto the promenade in the town.