Couple return to home hit by tree

Their home was seriously damaged when a 30-metre tree fell on it during a storm in May.

And Ray and Margaret Pagram are only now settling back into their Park Drive Bungalow in Worlingham - but said they have lost things they can never replace after the ancient elm crashed into their home.

They were woken in the early hours of May 5 when the tree fell, causing a large hole in the roof and damage to walls. But what caused most of the devastation was when one of the branches hit a water pipe, causing the Pagram's house to flood.

Mrs Pagram said: 'We now know that every room was affected. We were in shock for about two weeks after it happened. It finally hit us, then any time anyone spoke to us we burst into tears.'

The couple stayed with friends before renting temporary accommodation further down Park Drive.

But with no measures put in place to stop rain getting into the house for six weeks, it was a difficult time.

Mrs Pagram said: 'It was all open, there was no security, it was really stressful. I wouldn't like to go through that ever again.'

The insurers then began deciding what was salvageable, although the Pagrams were not asked to help.

'We had to put a price on everything they had scrapped,' said Mrs Pagram. 'But you can't, some things were gifts, or things we had for years.'

Everything the insurance company could save was stored in Birmingham, and boxes now fill the couple's garage.

And while a lot came back, there are many items which did not survive.

'I've got a 12-piece dinner and tea service which was a wedding present,' said Mrs Pagram. 'They packed it up and we've unpacked it only to find a cup completely smashed, a cup and saucer damaged and a plate damaged.

'There's been a lot lost that we can't replace. I would say we've lost 40pc of our belongings that it's taken a lifetime to collect.'

Mr Pagram said he and his wife won't feel really at home until they know what happened to all of their belongings.

'We're not properly relaxed,' he said. 'And we won't be until we know we've got everything.'

In a statement, Suffolk County Council said: 'Immediately following the partial collapse of the tree on May 5 Waveney Norse as agents of Suffolk County Council arranged removal of the part of the tree which had fallen to make the area safe.

'We received claims from the three bungalows's insurers and all claims have been passed to our insurer.'

The council is still considering options of what to do with the tree.