Cyclist narrowly escapes falling tree

A big tree fell over on the grass reserve between Georges Drive and Douglas McLean Avenue in Napier late Saturday night. Photo / Duncan Brown.

Vicky Johnson counted her lucky stars when a large tree fell just five minutes after she biked past late Saturday night.

Ms Johnson was riding to her George's Drive home in Napier after seeing her children in town.

"Just after I walked through the door I heard something that sounded like it was scraping along the road. I raced to the window and suddenly the large tree on the grass domain opposite my house crashed to the ground."

She said one minute it was standing tall and the next minute it was lying on the ground.

"I am just so lucky I was home, as I was riding no handlebars underneath it on the footpath so it would have taken me with it and right now I'd be well and truly under it."

She said it had been a "freaky" experience and even when the tree was firmly on the ground it kept on creaking.

"It kept me up as it made crackly sounds all night. We are just lucky no one was around, as it would have completely crushed anything that was beneath it."

The tree had been in the domain on the corner of Douglas McLean Avenue and George's drive in Napier for as long as Ms Johnson can remember.

"We use to come here when I was kid and it was my favourite tree, as it was so bushy and gave out the most shade. We would lye under there for hours."

Ms Johnson said there was no wind when it fell and no one had expected the tree to collapse so it remained a mystery.