by Peter Barnett

A family has told how they watched in horror as a giant fir tree was uprooted in 80mph gales and smashed down near their home in Minster, Thanet.

Villagers Tony and Carol Webb saw the 60ft giant sway and rock until its weight ripped it from their garden.

Tony said: “I was watching the storm from the bedroom window. Suddenly I could see the earth being lifted around the trees. The fence panels in the garden started moving.

"A few seconds later the huge tree started to fall. My heart started pounding and I feared it would fall on us."

Across Thanet trees were blown down or loosened in the storm, while some fences and walls in its path were smashed.

Highways crews worked throughout the early hours of Monday to clear more than 100 trees that had fallen across roads in Kent and tackle flooding as storms lashed the county.

Extra officers were drafted in to work alongside regular crews in anticipation of disruption and damage caused by the gale-force winds.

For a full story and more pictures see this week's KM Isle of Thanet Extra