A groundsman had a lucky escape after a storage building collapsed in the gales.

The brick building at Marconi Athletic and Social Club in Beehive Lane, Chelmsford, where equipment is stored had the roof ripped off by the winds and the building reduced to rubble.

Groundsman Kevin Kieran was in the building when he heard it giving way and ran out.

Customer manager Veronica Reed said she saw the building collapse and initially thought Mr Kieran was in it.

"He called me to say an end wall had blown out and I came down to get help. I saw it go and thought he was in there but fortunately he had got out in time. It was scary as there was nothing I could do."

The corrugated roof blew across the nearby tennis courts and pulled down the floodlighting and fencing.

Published Monday October 28, 2002

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