Decades-old eucalyptus tree brought down by storm
A ST MARTIN’S resident burst into tears when she discovered that a eucalyptus tree she planted with her late husband Nick 40 years ago had fallen victim to Storm Darragh at the weekend.
Jean Gaskin did not even hear the tree, which was about 40ft high, when the high winds uprooted it, crushing a fence in her garden near Manor Stores, and blocking access to most of the area, including the lawn.
‘I was absolutely heartbroken,’ she said.
‘I love my garden. When I saw it I cried.’
She said it must have happened in a short space of time since she had asked her daughter to look in the garden at about 1.15pm on Saturday and she saw nothing, but a few twigs and branches blown down.
But about 90 minutes later a neighbour texted to say that they had seen a fallen tree in Mrs Gaskin’s garden.
‘I thought it couldn’t possibly be the eucalyptus as it was so solid and big, and definitely not rotten,’ she said.
‘It must have gone quite slowly. It was amazing that nobody was hurt.’
She was waiting for tree surgeons to visit to give her some idea of when the remains of the tree could be removed.
‘I have a big garden which I do myself as my husband passed away in September 2003, so it’s heartbreaking to see my garden in such a mess.
‘It’s my passion and my hobby.’
