A motorist had a lucky escape after gales blew down a tree in Wickford - straight onto his car.

Crushed - the wrecked car in Market Avenue. Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL 8CQXY2

The driver was not inside the Ford Fiesta when disaster struck at 6.30pm yesterday, police revealed.

However, Market Avenue in Wickford was sealed off for just under an hour while they cleared the tree away.

A spokesman for Basildon police said: "The car was flattened. It is just lucky for the driver he was not inside when the tree fell.

"He had a very lucky escape."

Published Tuesday, March 19, 2002