A butcher has told of the ‘hair-raising’ moment a tree was uprooted and crashed onto the roof of his home during severe storms.
The frightening incident in Mayfield Gardens, Oswaldtwistle was one of several as strong winds and heavy rain battered Hyndburn last night.
Several trees were blown over in the storms, while certain areas were also hit by flash floods due to heavy rain.
Homeowner David Pinder had taken an early night on Monday, June 1 ahead of a morning shift at work and said he had been told the tree could easily have crashed into the bedroom where he was sleeping if it hadn’t been for a power substation next to the house.
He said: “There is no structural damage to the property, but I think we owe a lot to the power substation.
“That took the main impact of the fall. I was told that if that had not been there it may have gone through the roof and into our bedroom. I don’t really want to think about what could have happened.”
David, 47, was woken by the sound of slates falling from his roof.
He said: “I jumped up and could see branches and knew it was serious. I rang the emergency services and fire services attended around 8.30pm.
“I got my wife and two dogs out of the house on their advice, they told me it was best to vacate the property.
“We have got a crane coming to remove the tree and repair work will need to be carried out on the roof.”
Moments after the incident at Mayfield Gardens another tree fell onto a community garden on Belfield Road in Accrington.
Richard Edney, of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The tree had snapped and had fallen into a public area and it could have fallen into houses.
“We sent a fire officer to have a look round and they found the tree had fallen into a community garden.”
The Observer has also been sent a picture of a felled tree on Loweswater Close in Accrington.
A fire crew from Hyndburn was called to Vine Mill on Brookside Street in Oswaldtwistle at around 11.30pm after water flooded the lift shaft and affected the electrics.
The flooding was caused by nearby blocked drains which firefighters helped to clear. Great Harwood Golf Club also closed its course pending an inspection, due to heavy rain.
