Chaos as high winds uproot trees across Staffordshire

Homes were damaged and drivers narrowly avoided crashes when trees uprooted and came crashing down after being battered by high winds across the region.

A tree fell into the road in Dark Lane, Essington, narrowly missing the vehicle of Mark McCabe, while a 40ft oak tree fell and crashed into the home of a Wolverhampton couple while they sat inside.

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The winds also uprooted a tree and sent it crashing down into the side of a house in Savey Lane, Yoxall.

Woverhampton City Council workers spent yesterday chopping away at the tree which uprooted and landed on the home of Graham Woodruff and his partner, Betty, who live in Park Road West.

Mr Woodruff told how he was watching television when, out the corner of his eye, he saw the tree hurtling towards his home through a front room window.

"It seemed to fall in slow motion. At first I didn't know what it was because you don't imagine that a tree will fall down," he said.

"I next heard a big thud. I think the roots of the tree must have broken the fall because it didn't happen fast. It took our cherry tree with it."

Yesterday's drama unfolded at around 1.30pm at the home of Mr Woodruff, near to the A Park View Hotel and West Park Rehabilitation Hospital.

A downturn in the recent warm weather saw wind speeds reach between 20 and 30mph.