A LUCKY motorist has told how he had a narrow escape after coming within seconds of being crushed by a falling tree branch as he visited a Lake District beauty spot.

Lewis Walch, aged 63, from Farnworth, was travelling near Aira Force waterfall on the shores of Ullswater.

Mr Walch said he and his friend were just two seconds away from being crushed by the 40ft limb of a rotting oak tree. Mr Walch, a company director, said: “The gods must have been watching over us.

“It was a near death experience that I certainly don’t want to happen again.”

The pair were travelling in a silver Toyota Corolla on the A592, when the branch fell just metres behind them.

Mr Walch said he had just missed the Park Brow turn off to head towards the National Trust car park at Aira Force when the tree fell.

He added: “It was just as my friend said I had missed the turn of that I heard a huge crack.

“I had no idea what it was. It wasn’t until I pulled into a lay-by to turn around to go back to the turn off that I realised what had happened.

“We were incredibly lucky and I am definitely counting my lucky stars.”

He said the weather was calm and sunny and that there was no hint of a wind.

Mr Walch, one of three directors at Colne-based Kedel Ltd, which creates products from recycled plastic and wood, said there was a motorcyclist and another car travelling behind him.

He added: “The motorcyclist was shaken. The only reason I think the tree missed the car was because it had slowed down to turn.”