A 50ft tree fell on to a Midlands house, causing around £10,000 worth of damage.

Strong winds caused the sycamore tree to topple on to the house, in Fairyfield Avenue, Great Barr, smashing through the roof over a garage and into a loft conversion.

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Julie Willetts, who lives at the property with her husband Sid, the managing director of a fabricating company, said: “I was shopping when it happened, but my father was here and he heard an almighty bang at around 3.15pm. When he looked out the window there were tiles falling down.

“I got back at 4.30pm and my husband was home and they phoned the fire brigade.”

Falling branches also rained down on Mrs Willetts’ daughter’s Toyota MR-2, badly scratching the vehicle. Nobody was injured.

“We are just thankful nobody was hurt,” added the mother-of-two.

Fire crews last night attended the scene, securing the property and removing large branches of the tree from the roof, while a structural engineer declared the building safe for the family to remain in. Fire crews cordoned off the area and used specialist equipment and a crane to remove the tree.