Trio 'lucky to be alive' as branch smashes through car on Cannock Chase

The Peugeot car was driving along Rugeley Road near Beau Desert Golf Club at around 2.30pm today when a large branch sheared off a nearby tree and crashed through the car's roof and windscreen.

The tree narrowly missed the driver and front-seat passenger but struck the young girl in the back, leaving her with injuries to her cheek and arm.

Passers-by hurried to the car and pulled the branch from the vehicle, while a helicopter and road ambulance rushed to the scene.

The injured child was airlifted to the paediatric major trauma centre at Birmingham Children's Hospital, while the man and woman travelling in the front were left shaken but unharmed.

The car was left with a smashed windscreen and major damage to its roof and bonnet, with ambulance staff saying "it could have been so much worse" for the passengers.

West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman Murray MacGregor said: "In one respect, they were incredibly unlucky, but in others they were incredibly fortunate not to have suffered far more serious injuries.

"It appears this was a case of dreadful timing. A large branch has sheared off a tree just as a car was passing.

"Part of the branch has gone straight through the windscreen of the car narrowly missing the two front-seat occupants and struck an eight-year-old girl in the back.

"Other road users were quickly on the scene and pulled the branch off the car which has suffered considerable damage.

"The little girl had suffered a nasty puncture wound to her cheek and a broken arm.

"She was assessed at the scene by ambulance staff before being airlifted to the paediatric major trauma centre at Birmingham Children's Hospital."