Woman hit by flying hoarding

A 25-YEAR-OLD woman was hospitalised after being struck by a hoarding yesterday morning. Winds as strong as gale-force nine caused it to come down at the bottom of St Julian's Avenue.

Site owner Longport has apologised for the incident, which left the woman needing treatment for a back injury.

'We had contractors on the site within 20 minutes of the call from the Fire and Rescue Service,' said Longport spokeswoman Katrina Bray.

'They checked all the hoarding to make sure the one involved hadn't dislodged any others.'

The area was made safe with Heras fencing.

'We're incredibly sorry that it happened and wish her a speedy recovery.'

Police, fire and ambulance all attended the incident, which happened just before 8am, backing-up rush-hour traffic.

The high winds also disrupted travel yesterday, with some ferry services and flights cancelled.

St Peter Port resident Gillian Thomson's prediction that a neighbour's tree would fall down also became reality yesterday.

'It was about 9.15am and I heard a big thump,' she said.

'I came down to the road and I thought ?Oh my God? because it just missed our garage.'

Miss Thomson and her partner, Soundtrack owner Barry Dodd, live in a house at Havelet. The next one up the road is owned by a woman who spends most of her time in the UK and comes across to live in it, Miss Thomson said, for about two weeks a year.

'We did mention it last time, as did the people living in the house above.

'We said it was very dangerous - it is really high - but nothing was done about it,' said Miss Thomson.

She said it was lucky that the tree went across the road and not onto their garage, which they have just finished.

Miss Thomson has tried to get hold of the owner of the house, but without success.