It was a narrow escape for an 82-year-old city woman as a tree came crashing down on her house after being blown over by Storm Eunice.

Emergency services were called to a home in Valpy Avenue in Norwich's Mile Cross area around 4pm on Friday where a pensioner lives on her own.

The woman - who did not wish to be identified - was looking out of her kitchen window and watched in horror as the tree fell on to the other side of her property.

A ground floor window was shattered, while there was also damage to guttering and tiles on the roof.

Emergency services had to access the home and the occupant through a fence panel at the back as the tree was blocking the front of the home for 24 hours.

The 82-year-old woman's son-in-law, Glenn Bazely, 62, said: "She thought it sounded like a bomb when it came down. She was a bit shaken up by it but she is unharmed.

"We are just waiting for the insurance company to sort it out and she is not able to call anyone at the moment because the telephone wire came down."

Neighbour Anne Bridge, 74, called the emergency services after seeing the tree fall.

She said: "It was very scary to see. That was one of the oldest trees in the road and had probably been there about 90 years so it was unfortunately rotting at the bottom.

"The fire brigade came very quickly and all the services were superb."

An arboriculturalist and other workers remained at the scene until around 10.30pm on Saturday to clear the tree.

Another neighbour Richard Fenn, 75, said: "I was out at the time but I remember another tree coming down here two years ago.

"At least it is nice and sunny, and improves the view now it has come down."

His wife Ellen, 70, added: "I heard the tree come down but did not realise what it was until I saw loads of emergency services in the middle of the road."

A number of homes were left without power and many trees fell down across the region as winds reached up to 80mph as Storm Eunice caused disruption.