Huge tree branches ‘engulfed’ an entire Hackney street when they crashed to the floor last week, just missing people and parked cars.

Gore Road, near Victoria Park, was covered for several hours after the collapse on Friday, August 6.

Resident Alan Thomas said: “The word 'branches' minimises the effect. Each branch was as big as some trees and the road was completely blocked and cars engulfed in foliage.”

He said that the situation lasted for some time as he contacted Hackney Council and then Tower Hamlets Council, which dispatched its agricultural team. As the tree belonged to Victoria Park, it was considered to be in Tower Hamlets.

Mr Thomas added: “Two branches came in one fall, landing between my car and a neighbours car then some 20 mins later a second larger branch came down behind my car. This was potentially most dangerous because onlookers were around."

A spokesperson for Tower Hamlets Council said: “The tree fallen on Gore Road was reported to our senior arboricultural officer via our Victoria Park rangers.

“This was subsequently cleared up and an inspection was carried out to determine the cause of collapse.”