A motorist driving through Baldock today miraculously escaped injury when a tree fell across the road and onto his car.

The driver of the blue Mercedes A-Class was heading down London Road when the tree crashed down across the carriageway, smashing the car’s windscreen and crushing its nearside roof.

Fortunately, no-one was hurt. A police spokeswoman confirmed to the Comet that the driver got out of the car unaided and uninjured.

This was the second tree to come down in London Road as Storm Doris lashed the area today.

Fellow motorist Simon Welander was there afterwards, having almost been hit by the first falling tree.

He told the Comet: “This person wasn’t as lucky as I was.

“The first tree came down right in front of me as I was turning off London Road, so it just missed me – if I hadn’t turned off it might have landed on me.

“The tree that hit the car seems to have shattered. I don’t know if that’s normal but all the trees along London Road look top-heavy with ivy and to my eyes are dangerous.

“I’m not a tree surgeon but I reckon they should all come down. They have been the same in the 20 years I’ve lived here.”

The road was closed for a period while a tractor moved the trees aside and the car was recovered, with Highways England called and emergency crews also attending the scene amid the gale-force winds.