Fairstead couple's lucky storm escape
A WIFE'S last-minute change of mind saved a couple from possible death at the height of yesterday's stormy weather.
Tina Sutton (32) decided to change her boots just as she and husband Bill were leaving their Fairstead home.
At the same time a flying shed roof, ripped from its base by gale-force winds, crashed into their Mondeo car, gouging and denting the bonnet.
Bill Sutton (49) said: "It was just a good job that no one was there. If my wife had not decided to change her boots we would have been there. Of course that means I can never moan about her taking her time to get ready in the future."
The roof also smashed into Michelle Routledge's car. The 32-year-old mum of two, of Five Elms, on the Lynn estate, returned from dropping her children off at school and a dentist appointment to find the Vauxhall Polo covered in metal sheeting, timber and bricks. The car had been given to her as a gift after her dad died.
She said: "I just came back from town and there was a roof on my car. I'm devastated because it was my dad's car and panicked because my husband needs it for work."
The roof of a communal shed used to store bins is thought to have blown off at around 9.30am and Mrs Routledge discovered the damage at around 11.25am. Her car windscreen was shattered.
Agency care worker Mark Routledge (45) said: "I knew it was windy but didn't think it was that bad."
The Met office recorded severe gale force winds in the Lynn area yesterday, with gusts of up to 56mph.
A spokesman said it is expected to drop slightly today but there could still be gusts up to 40mph and snow is predicted.
Homes and businesses in Downham were left in darkness yesterday morning when a four-hour power cut hit the town.
Around 5,000 customers suffered from the disruption, which was reported at around 6.20am, but the cause of the problem could not be confirmed at the time of going to press.
EDF Energy Networks managed to restore power to the first 150 customers within an hour of the fault, at 7.16am.
Engineers then worked to restore customers in stages throughout the morning, with the final supplies connected at 10.50am.
The power cut saw Hillcrest Primary School, Downham, and Denver Primary School both closed for the day while Downham Health Centre, on Paradise Road, suffered minor disruptions before electricity was restored.
A generator was used at Downham Fire Station while the power was off from 6.55am to 11.55am.
Train passengers travelling between Lynn and Downham also faced disruptions as services were cancelled when a tree fell on overhead electric cables causing power supply problems. Rail replacement buses were in operation between the two towns before the line was restored at around 11.30am.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North
