A man had to be taken to hospital after he narrowly avoided serious injuries when a centuries-old tree fell on his car while he was driving.

It comes following the devastation from Storm Eunice, which has already seen at least one life lost in the UK due to its severity.

Police were called at 2.50pm on Friday by Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, following reports of a fallen tree landing on cars with people inside of them on Church Lane in Booton, near Reepham.

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Reepham’s fire crew were called out at 2.45pm, with a chainsaw team from a professional tree surgery company, Zak Branch, joining them by 3.24pm. They left the scene at 3.58pm while a clean-up operation continued.

And neighbouring farmer, Jeremy Buxton, of Eves Hill Farm, Booton, also pitched in after being called by the emergency services to help.

Taking time away from his farming job to assist, he spent hours with the tree surgeons helping to clear the road.

A navy-blue Land Rover sustained significant damage from the tree, and could be seen on the roadside with shattered glass and a missing back window.

A man with head injuries, believed to be its driver, was assessed at the scene by a first responder and paramedics.

He was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for further assessment, but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

A spokesperson from the East of England Ambulance Service said: “We were called following reports that a tree had fallen on cars that had people in them.

“An ambulance and two operations managers in support vehicles attended the scene.

“An adult man was transported to hospital for further assessment and treatment.”

The tree, which fell just yards away from Booton’s picturesque St Michael the Archangel's Church, is believed to be a birch tree around 200 years and completely blocked the road to traffic. A nearby property’s metal railing also sustained damage.