Tree death woman was 'one in a million'

Elaine Davison, 55, from Pontefract, died after the Vauxhall Zafira she was travelling in was hit by the tree in Wakefield last Thursday evening during heavy rain and high winds.

She was taken to hospital but died soon afterwards, West Yorkshire Police said.

The incident happened as high winds and heavy rain battered many parts of the UK last week.

The car was being driven by her husband Edward.

Mr Davison, 54, said: "She was one in a million. She lived for the family. She enjoyed her family. We enjoyed our life together."

Mr Davison added that he and his wife were never apart.

He said: "We enjoyed our holidays together, we went everywhere together, we did everything together."

Mrs Davison's family have thanked the emergency services who came to her aid and passers-by who also helped.

The grandmother was very active in the Pontefract community and was a director of St Mary's Community Centre, which she helped to establish in 2001.

On Thursday night, a number of homes in the area where the tree fell were evacuated and the road - the A642 Wakefield to Rothwell route - remained closed for two days as some of the trees were removed.

Three fire crews were called to the scene to free the casualties and a fire service spokesman described Mrs Davison as having been "impaled".

A local tree surgeon at the scene said the trees that lined the road could have become "brittle" through traffic fumes.

Ian Humphries added: "Unfortunately, looking at the tree, the first thing that comes to mind is it has not been maintained in a long while."