Timber! Lee Townsend’s photograph of the fallen tree on Wickham Road today
LEE TOWNSEND witnessed this collapsed tree on one Croydon road today, as London felt the effects of the overnight storm
Croydon was dusting itself down today after a battering from the 100mph winds of Storm Katie hit overnight.
The London Fire Brigade reported more than 100 emergency calls across the capital, with incidents including falling scaffolding, a collapsed crane in Greenwich and a Battersea boozer having its roof blown off.
Flights from Gatwick and Heathrow were diverted.
Wickham Road had a fortunate escape when the tree fell away from the road. Photograph by Lee Townsend
On Wickham Road, a mature tree opposite the McDonald’s was uprooted but, perhaps fortunately, fell away from the road and across park railings, causing minimal immediate disruption and no injury.
Other incidents attended by firefighters included a roof collapse on Haydon Road, South Wimbledon, a tree down on the South Circular in Forest Hill and a chimney collapse in South Harrow.
Photograph by Lee Townsend
An fire brigade spokesman said: “Firefighters are always on hand should any buildings, hoardings or scaffolding be left in a precarious position and posing a risk to life because of high winds.
“Our 999 control officers have worked tirelessly to deal with hundreds of calls and get fire crews there as quickly as possible.
“To help stay safe during windy weather people should always clear gardens, balconies and window sills of anything that could be blown away.
“They should also take extra care if they venture outside and be careful using candles in the case of a power cut.”
Crushing: No one was hurt by this fallen tree, a victim of Storm Katie. Photograph by Lee Townsend
If you have images of the impact of Storm Katie, email them to us at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
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