Horror as woman in 40s dies after 'large branch falls from tree'

A woman has died after reportedly being struck by a large branch that fell from a tree. The woman in her 40s was killed after a massive tree branch on Barlow Moor Road at the junction with Stanton Avenue in West Didsbury, Manchester "snapped" and fell on her.

Emergency services raced to the scene following a call at around 7:15pm on Saturday evening, August 30 but were unfortunately unable to save her. Her death has sent shockwaves around the local community. A member of staff at Barlow Moor petrol station, who asked not to be named, described seeing the tree "snap" moments before the horrific incident unfolded.

They added that witnesses rushed to try and help the woman.

They said: "The tree just snapped, it was a big branch and just fell. A woman was walking underneath.

"The weather was a bit windy but not strong. A few locals came out and some of them were doctors so they were trying to help her. Then the ambulance came and police closed the road.

"It is a big tree and it was a massive branch that fell - blocking off all the road. It was two or three thick branches that fell at once."

"At around 7.15pm on Saturday, August 30, we were called to reports a tree had fallen onto a woman on Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury," a spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said.

"Despite the best efforts of emergency workers, a woman in her 40s was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

"The death is not being treated as suspicious."

Mark Jones had been on his way back from Didsbury Pride when he noticed a cordon in the area on Saturday night.

He said: "The road was cordoned off by police and we weren't sure what was going on, then we saw they had put white screens up, so sadly we knew that someone had died.

"It was breezy and there was a bit of rain but nothing heavy. It's an awful thing to have happened."

Manchester councillor Richard Kilpatrick, Liberal Democrat member for Didsbury West, called the incident "really awful"

"It is a really awful and tragic situation and the worst possible timing for someone to be under there", he said.