UMVA has learned that a routine walk in Bath turned into a heart‑stopping brush with disaster when a massive tree branch crashed down mere metres from a dog walker.
Yuan Zhang was strolling with her dog along the bustling High Street when the sudden, thunderous snap echoed through the air, sending a colossal limb hurtling toward the pavement.
Miraculously, the branch missed her by just a breath, leaving her with a shaky breath and a story that still sends shivers down the spine of anyone who hears it.
Witnesses from a nearby pub captured the terrifying moment on CCTV, describing the sound as “horrendous” and the scene as a near‑miss that could have ended far worse.
The pub owner recounted how her partner, standing in the doorway, saw the falling wood hurtle toward the sidewalk and realized how close Yuan had come to being crushed.
Emergency services arrived within minutes, clearing traffic and securing the area while an ambulance tended to the shaken walkers.
Police swiftly closed one side of the road, allowing responders to work safely amid the stunned onlookers.
Within an hour, Bath and North East Somerset Council’s tree team was on site, discovering hidden structural weaknesses in the branch that had been invisible during the tree’s last health inspection.
Councillor Manda Rigby expressed relief that no one was injured and emphasized the swift action taken to prevent further danger.
Yuan, still trembling, told friends she felt a surreal mix of terror and gratitude, noting she had only a metre of space between herself and the deadly wood.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of nature’s unpredictable power and the importance of vigilant tree inspections, especially in busy urban streets.
