AFTER pursing a one-man battle to get Christmas lights switched on last year, a man has now decorated the ‘first’ tree in Cowley Road.

Amir Ali paid for the decorations himself for the tree outside The Bullingdon.

Oxfordshire County Council gave the initiative the thumbs up, with the tree decorated earlier this month.

Read again: One man’s mission to bring Christmas lights to Cowley Road

Mr Ali said: “This year, Christmas will be different for everyone so this will spread a bit of cheer.

“Cowley is such a special place, made up of many individuals from all over the world so I wanted to do something special for everyone.”

Oxford city councillor David Henwood said local historians had searched archives but found no mention of a Christmas tree.

He added: “We need individuals like Amir in our community to build the culture we call Oxford.

“We face the double whammy of a Brexit and Covid cloud, but people like Amir are a bridge of humanity and hope.”