Husband of woman killed by falling tree tells of moment tragedy struck

Mother-of-four Elaine Davison, 55, of Pontefract, was a passenger in her husband Edward's car when the accident happened. They were on their way home last Thursday when a tree fell into their path in Wakefield in high winds.

Mr Davison, 54, said: "It all happened so fast. The first part of the tree landed in front of us and we went over it and then the rest hit the car windscreen and came into the car.

"I could not see anything for branches, but I felt okay. I shouted for Elaine and asked if she was okay. She said 'no'.

"I got out of the car and went to Elaine's side because I could not see her. I opened the door and could see a branch had gone into her abdomen. She screamed: 'Get it out of me'."

A nurse who had been driving behind pulled over to help and an ambulance on its way back to hospital also stopped, but Mrs Davison died later in Wakefield's Pinderfields Hospital.

She had two sons, Nick, 34, Aiden, 27, and two daughters, Amy, 26, and Natalie, 23. She was also a grandmother. Her family said she was community spirited. She set up a Neighbourhood Watch group and was the driving force behind a new community centre.

In recent years, Mrs Davison suffered health problems, but her relatives said she always had time for her close family. Her eldest daughter, Amy, said: "She was always there for us – and anybody else."