Chimney fall leaves woman injured

Village stalwart Jill Wickens was left bruised and shocked when a chimney crashed through her roof and buried her in rubble as gales lashed north Norfolk.

Widow Mrs Wickens, who is on the parish council and heavily involved with the village hall and newsletter at Catfield, was asleep when the drama happened on Friday night.

The chimney at her house in New Road tumbled over and plummeted through the roof and ceiling, covering her bed with rubble, bricks, pots and timber.

She shouted for help, but when no-one heard dialled 999 using a bedside phone, said neighbour Robin Cushion.

“There was wood and timber and half the chimney lying on her bed. She was extremely lucky to get out of there alive or without broken bones,” he added.

Mr Cushion, who used to live in the house himself between 1947 and 1964, said Mrs Wickens was being cared for by friends and was badly shaken by the incident.

More than 5,500 homes across the region, many of them in north Norfolk which was one of the worst-hit areas, lost power as trees broke overhead cables - but all were due to get power back by Sunday.

Wooden stable buildings weighing a tonne each were lifted up and

thrown more than 30 yards at Bradfield. One, which normally houses a herd of alpacas, was

dumped into an apple tree perilously close to André and Gayle Millward's home.

Two more, home to donkeys and a pony, were lifted from the field of next door farmers Hugh and Jane Alston, with one roof landing on cricket pitch 100 yards away.

Some early morning train services were replaced by buses on the Norwich to Sheringham line after a tree fell on the line near North Walsham.

And spectacular wind-driven waves smashed into sea defences at

Walcott, turning the surf into a milky foam.

Forecasters at WeatherQuest confirmed winds had gusted up to 65mph, but that conditions were due to get warmer and less breezy as the week went on.