Storm Eunice: Dorset man survives being crushed by tree

Gas engineer Nigel Ward, 69, was tending to his beloved horses on the grounds of his home in Wareham with his friend Linda Flanagan at around 12.30 on Friday afternoon.

The keen rider was sorting out his horses so they would be secure as Storm Eunice battered its way through Dorset and onto his doorstep.

Nigel’s daughter Kerrie spoke to the Echo, with Nigel’s blessing, about his narrow escape.

Wareham resident Nigel Ward survived being crushed by a 40-foot tree during Storm Eunice

She said: “My mum had been out that morning to let the chickens out and could hear the tree making this creaking noise. She warned dad about this but he had to sort the horses out.

“He and Linda were stood by the hay shelter in the garden and then the tree just came down. It came down so quickly that they didn’t stand a chance. Linda managed to jump towards the shelter but dad didn’t have the time and got crushed by the main part of the tree.”

Bloodied, bruised and injured, Nigel had been flattened by a massive 40-foot tree but somehow managed to maintain consciousness while surrounded by thick branches and roots.

Due to the length of the garden away from the main property, Nigel’s wife Karen did not hear the tree collapse or her husband’s cries for help. Thankfully, Linda was left relatively unscathed by the collapse but was trapped within the partially destroyed hay shelter.

She dialled 999 and soon after, several fire, ambulance and police officers arrived quickly on scene.

Paramedics tend to Nigel Ward who survived being crushed by a 40-foot tree during Storm Eunice

Upon arriving at the house, Kerrie feared the worst. She said: “I didn’t really know anything until I got there but when I saw it, it was awful, I just thought there was no way he could be alive. Then they told me he was conscious and speaking and I couldn’t believe it – it was like something out of a movie.”

Kerrie believes it took fire crews approximately 45 minutes to cut Nigel out of the thick shrubbery and said the emergency services were all “brilliant”.

Police later told Kerrie that had Nigel been positioned one metre to the left, he would have been killed by the main body of the trunk.

Wareham resident Nigel Ward in hospital

Nigel, who was born and bred in Wareham, was rushed to Poole Hospital where he was found to have a fractured spine and broken left foot, as well as several cuts and bruises.

Despite his ordeal, Kerrie says her father is “quite cheerful and joking like normal” as he awaits further results to see if he needs surgery for his spine.

The family has received hundreds of messages of well wishes from friends, family and strangers, of which Kerrie says they are very grateful.