Civil servants have been ordered to take down Christmas trees in job centres South-east London because of fears that visitors may attack staff with them.

Job centre bosses issued instructions to dismantle the artificial 4ft high Norwegian spruces because they could be used as offensive weapons.

The Guardian has reported a jobcentre manager sent an email saying: “There will be no decorations in customer facing offices and there will be no parties within any offices with alcohol.”

Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union was not amused by the Scrooge-like behaviour.

He said: “The idea that we could be beaten up by baubles is ludicrous. It’s a real case of bah humbug.”