STRONG winds lashed through Bexley last week, causing a 30ft tree to crash to the ground.

Sharon March, 54, of Burnell Avenue, Welling planted the Eucalyptus tree in her garden 26 years ago but gale force winds caused it to uproot.

The mother-of-two says it was lucky no one was injured by the fall at around 2.30pm on January 5.

She said: “It could have killed someone- we’re lucky no-one was hurt.

“It damaged all the fences and the neighbour’s garden- a swinging hammock, the kids’ swings, slide and trampoline.

“It was lucky how it fell.

“We have an old people’s home at the bottom of our garden and it could have gone out their way.”

Staff from Oaklands Treecare service were on the scene within the hour, and spent the rest of the next day clearing it away.

Mrs March, who works at Sandringham Pre-School in Wickham Street, Welling heard the tree crash to the ground when she was inside the house.

She said: “Our neighbour saw it come down and I heard it.

“It was like a big whooshing sound.

“I just thought a shed would be on the floor.

“I went out into the alleyway to see what had happened.

“Then I saw my neighbour’s face.”

Mrs March says her children enjoyed playing in the fallen tree until it was taken away. She said: “They were playing hide and seek in it so they were sad to see it go.

“They loved it.”