Tree Falls On Bedroom As Winds Batter UK

[Tom2020]

Tree Falls On Bedroom As Winds Batter UK | Orange UK

 

 

Winds still as strong as ever

A former ambassador escaped serious injury when a 30ft-long tree branch smashed into his bedroom while he slept.

 

Richard Wilkinson, 65, was fast asleep when a 60ft beech outside his bungalow in Winchester, Hampshire, snapped in two and fell on the house.

 

The ex-diplomat, who held posts in Venezuela and Chile, managed to call 999 following the incident and emergency workers were able to lift him to safety.

 

More than a ton of wood smashed into the bedroom and landed on his wife's side of the bed. Luckily, 52-year-old Angela Wilkinson was away for the night.

 

Mr Wilkinson was still in hospital on Tuesday and will have to undergo surgery on his ear, but he was otherwise unhurt.

 

His daughter Eleanor, 20, a classics student at Oxford University, was also at home when the tree fell.

 

She said: "I heard a resounding crash and ran over to my dad's room and he could not get out of the door.

 

"He was quite dazed and the electricity was off and he said one of the trees had fallen down.

 

"He was quite calm really and he called the emergency services, who came and managed to lift him out of the bedroom.

 

"The ambulance then came and mopped him up and he was taken to hospital. It was a really lucky escape. He only has an injury to his ear. It could have been so much worse.

 

"My mother is away at her brother's for work at the moment and the tree landed on her side of the bed."

 

Cambridge graduate Mr Wilkinson was in the diplomatic service in 1972 but left in 2005 and is currently chairman of the governors at the University of Winchester.

 

He was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1991 in recognition of his service at the British Embassy in Paris.

 

The incident came as high winds and heavy rain battered much of England through the night and Scotland braced for blizzards later, as unsettled conditions continue.

 

Up to 40mm of rain fell in some areas over 12 hours as the south of England and South Wales bore the brunt overnight. Wind speeds reached 70mph in Devon.

 

London received 40% of its monthly total rainfall for December with around 20mm falling. The average for the month in the capital is 50mm.

 

Further storms are due to sweep across England and Wales later this week, with winds due to pick up on Thursday and Friday and the potential for severe gales.

 

There has already been isolated flooding in the West Country and the Environment Agency issued a series of flood alerts for rivers in the South West.

 

Hampshire Police said it has received more than 200 calls in the past 24 hours about flooding and fallen trees - compared to the usual rate of 18 a day.

 

Northern Ireland and southwest Scotland are expected to feel the worst of the storms today, with winds of up to 80mph.

 

The Met Office has also issued severe weather warnings of snow for eight regions of Scotland over the next 24 hours, with blizzards possible on high ground.

Edited December 13, 2011 by Tom2020

[Paul Barton]

That is some awful journalism.

 

Why do we want to know about the owners career and which University his daughter went to?!

 

How about telling us where it happened and whether tree was decayed or not!

[armchairarborist]

hands up who spotted it was a beech tree limb weighing about 1tonne before reading it?

[felixthelogchopper]

Any pics of the daughter?

[Kev Stephenson]

Never mind that, who has put a price to it

[skyhuck]

hands up who spotted it was a beech tree limb weighing about 1tonne before reading it?

 

Only transit drivers, thats more like 2 tonne, but they always kid themselves that their within weight

[Stephen Blair]

That's not a limb, it's stem!

and I bet it will be closer to the 6 ton including bit you don't see in the pic