Timberrrr!

Last night Zoe and I were sitting in the living room when we were startled by a sudden loud metallic scraping noise, like a slow car crash, or someone dragging a full dustbin over concrete.  I jumped up and looked out of the window but it was already dark, and I could see nothing unusual, so I sat down again and forgot all about it.  Until this evening.  Then Zoe pointed out to me this fallen tree around the other side of the flat.  The tree had fallen over the boundary fence and struck the flats on the neighbouring property, leaving a pretty impressive scrape-mark down their wall, and damaging some roof tiles in the process.  

Somehow I completely failed to notice the fallen tree this morning when I left for work, even though I must have walked past just a few metres away from it.  I blame the darkness, and the fact I was in a hurry.  Besides, I am usually on automatic pilot at that time of the morning and it takes quite a lot to distract me from my dash to the railway station.

Update on Sat 2008-01-26 by Tristram Brelstaff

In the light of day it is apparent that the damage is a bit more extensive than I initially though.  As well as the displaced roof tiles, one window has broken glass, another has a broken frame (but the glass still intact), and a section of rainwater down-pipe has been dislodged.