'Freak weather' brings down tree

The tree crashed through a fence (picture by Paul Shakespeare)

A tree has been blown down and left balancing on power lines in a "freak" weather storm in Dorset.

Fire crews were called to Middlehill Road, Colehill in Wimborne, just before 1900 BST.

Resident Paul Shakespeare said the sky went black before gusts of high winds brought down the tree.

Electric engineers are on site but supplies are not believed to have been affected. Firefighters are helping in removing the tree.

Mr Shakespeare, who lives near where the tree fell, said: "All of a sudden the sky went very dark, the wind came up and rain came sheeting down in a freak weather storm.

The ground has been very dry lately and the locals think the tree has just been blown straight out Resident Paul Shakespeare

"But about five minutes later it was sunny again.

"The ground has been very dry lately and the locals think the tree has just been blown straight out.

"The tree was left dangling on the power lines but no supplies seem to have been affected."

Mr Shakespeare said the silver birch is planted in a private garden and went crashing through a fence.

Police have put a diversion in place while the tree is being removed.