A HEALTH care assistant has spoken of her shock after a tree fell on to her car — less than a minute after she left it to go back to work.
Jessica Verrell, 23, who works at Launceston Medical Centre, was returning to work last Tuesday, January 12, when the tree fell on to her car, blocking Landlake Road, the road leading to the doctors’ surgery.
She had been trying to phone her boyfriend, Simon Blacher, before leaving her car to return to work. If he had answered the call, Jessica would have been in the car when the tree collapsed on to it.
She told the Post: “The incident happened at about quarter, ten to two. I usually park there on the public road. I think everyone can relate to it.”
Jessica had returned to park on the road after taking her lunch break at home.
“I normally call my boyfriend before I go back to work. There was no answer so I thought I’d go back to work early.
“I got out of the car and crossed the road. I took a few steps up the pavement, heard this massive crash and the tree completely crushed my car, blocking the road.
“I screamed. I didn’t know what to say really. I just parked up like I normally would.
“I was in shock. A man was driving down and the tree stopped him driving any further, and he said go get somebody to move the tree!
“I went into work in really bad shock. I would have died if I was still in that car.
“I’m so lucky my boyfriend didn’t answer. It’s only just starting to hit me.
“I think my boyfriend was more scared. The only reason he didn’t answer was his boss came in to speak to him. If he had, I definitely wouldn’t be here and if I was I would be paralysed.”
Jessica praised her ‘amazing’ and ‘supportive’ colleagues, who looked after her at work.
She said it took around two and a half hours for the tree to be cleared. “It was quite a long time for patients to wait. Obviously the doctors couldn’t get out. They moved the tree fairly quickly as they couldn’t get out for emergencies.”
Jessica is in talks with her car insurance company.
The tree that fell belonged to nearby Launceston College, and was cleared by CORMAC.
In a statement, the college said: “The college takes its health and safety responsibilities very seriously and has its trees surveyed annually by a reputable local company.
“The last tree survey was undertaken in July 2015 when the trees on the college site were categorised in order of safety and action required. All actions relating to ‘category 1’ trees have been completed.
“The tree that fell was in ‘category 2’ and was well within the period of time that was deemed to be safe before it was felled.
“Since the tree fell, the surveying company has re-surveyed the area and has confirmed that the remaining trees on the college site are safe.
“As a precautionary measure only, the college has decided to bring forward the scheduled plan of works to fell the ‘category 2’ trees.”
Bryan Maywood, principal of Launceston College, told the Post: “The college is hugely relieved there was no injury and our sympathy is with the car owner.”