Storm Doris has wreaked havoc today, with trees blocking roads and railway lines in many areas.

Disaster was narrowly avoided when a tree fell on four parked vehicles outside Busy Bees day nursery in Letchworth at about 1pm – and one driver had the shock of her life when a 3ft metal sign flew across the street and smashed into her car.

Vicky Burrell, who is RSPCA Herts East branch administrator in Baldock, was making her regular commute back to Letchworth at about 12.30pm when the white sign hit the front of her car.

Vicky, 49, told the Comet the sign came from the front of one of the High Street shops.

“It’s lucky it was just my car it hit,” she said.

“If it’d been a human being, it could have been pretty gruesome.

“The traders have known the storm’s coming for days now. Why haven’t they taken those signs in?”

Vicky only picked up the new car on Monday – and was driving home along the High Street when a gust of wind sent the sign – about the size of a wheely-bin – flying across the road and towards her.

“It’s one of the signs that stands in front of the shops, a big white one,” said Vicky.

“It blew off somewhere, I don’t know where.

“There were lots of cars around, and people on foot – and it smashed into my front bumper before being blown down along the side.

“The car’s got a massive scratch on it now that’ll cost hundreds of pounds to get sorted out.”

Fortunately Vicky wasn’t injured – but she said she’s not sure whether she’ll feel safe driving in this sort of weather from now on.

“It’ll affect me wanting to drive on windy days in the future,” she said.

“It has shaken me up a bit. When a whopping great 3ft sign comes flying at you like that it’s a bit scary.”

A fire service spokeswoman confirmed to the Comet that nobody had been injured when the tree fell outside Busy Bees.