Pictures have emerged of a lucky escape for an estate agency branch in Birmingham during Storm Francis on Tuesday after a huge tree was blown down, narrowly missing its premises and demolishing a wall.

Emergency services were called to Robin Hood Lane on Tuesday afternoon at the rear of Klarico Estate Agents in Hall Green after strong winds gusting to 70mph whipped up by Storm Francis battered the Birmingham suburb.

The large and mature lime tree toppled over after hours of heavy rain and wind, knocking through the rear garden wall of the agency and narrowly missing its rear office.

The incident happened just beyond the floral roundabout junction with Highfield Road and Robin Hood Lane.

Owner Manny Klarico says no staff were injured but that the tree’s fall caused temporary disruption to its IT and telephone systems.

“You may experience a slight delay in getting through to us. Please bear with us as we work with local authorities and engineers to get up and running,” the company told its customers.

Emergency workers then arrived within minutes to fell a second tree, which was leaning precariously over the estate agency’s branch.

Earlier in the day, the Met Office had warned of 70mph winds bringing with them potential ‘danger to life’ from flying debris and delays to journeys.