Storm Eunice: Tree falls on Stansted fire station during height of Friday's weather

Stansted fire and rescue crews had an emergency to deal with on their own doorstep during Storm Eunice on Friday when a large tree fell onto their station, blocking access.

The tree crashed onto the side of the building in Chapel Hill, leaving a foam engine trapped in the rear yard, but remarkably the station escaped any damage.

Crews worked with Uppercut Trees to swiftly clear the area and were then straight out to deal with a series of storm-related emergencies.

Firefighter Luke Oliver said: “The tree management company drove post as it fell and turned back to say they would round up a few people to help. We all mucked in and it was all cleared within an hour."

The fierce winds caused major disruption to Daisy May’s Farm in neighbouring Elsenham where numerous trees came down, crushing animal shelters, while torrential rain during Storm Franklin on Sunday night led to flooding.

Owner Rachel Berry said all staff and animals were safe, but the destruction had left them facing a huge clear-up operation.

Elsewhere, roads around Stansted and Elsenham were littered with fallen trees and branches while many households saw fence panels ripped out by the strong winds and suffered power cuts.