CHRISTMAS for many is a time spent with loved ones, but it can also be a painful period for those whose relatives or close friends have passed away.

At Oxford’s Churchill Hospital, the Lights of Love Tree was switched on on Saturday allowing people to remember those who are no longer with us.

The tree is decorated with personal messages to people who have passed away, whether at Sobell House hospice at the hospital or elsewhere.

The memorial service and tree-lighting ceremony saw dozens of people gather to dedicate a light and view the books of remembrance.

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Wantage schoolgirl Lily Potter tied a message to the tree in memory of her grandfather Peter Munn, who died at Sobell House in March at the age of 75.

The 11-year-old King Alfred’s Academy pupil said: “It was a good afternoon, it was very emotional because I was there for my grandad.

“We did a message for me and my cousins and one for my mum and her two sisters. We put our names on them and wrote ‘forever in our hearts’.

“There were a couple of poems and carols and a prayer at the end.

“It was really touching, but also sad.”

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