A woman was knocked off a sea promenade and a tree smashed down on a bungalow as wet and windy weather battered Sussex.

Meanwhile firefighters used an aerial platform to secure a tarpaulin covering scaffolding by Brighton Station, blown free by strong winds.

A car flipped over on a main road and trees smashed onto power lines.

The incidents all took place late Thursday, November 22 and more disruption was predicted for the weekend as a stormy weather approached.

Gusts of up to 70 mph are expected to hit the southern counties overnight Saturday and into Sunday.

In Hamsey Lane, Cooksbridge, near Lewes, a man – who would only give his name as Brian – was in bed at 1.20am when he heard a “bang”.

A birch tree had crashed down on his house.

He said: “It could have been a lot worse.

“I was very lucky it was not an oak or a bigger tree.

“I was in bed and heard a bang. The fire brigade were fantastic – they were at the scene within 15 minutes and it is very rural around here.”

Lost footing

A woman in her 80s lost her footing along the seafront in Eastbourne at about 4.25pm on Thursday.

An Eastbourne firefighter who attended the incident said she had fallen about 30ft between two promenades.

He said: “She was a total star.

“She fell between the two promenades and had to be rescued.”

Paramedics attended and confirmed they helped the woman, who was not seriously injured.

They also looked after a driver whose car flipped over in Falmer Road, Brighton, at 10.20pm. A South East Coast Ambulance spokesman said: “Two cars and an ambulance attended after a car flipped over. The driver was released and taken to hospital.”

Queens Road

The tarpaulin blew off in Queens Road, Brighton, at 1am. An East Sussex Fire and Rescue spokeswoman said: “It could have been very dangerous and bought down scaffolding.”

Firefighters used an aerial ladder to secure the tarpaulin.

The Met Office said gale force winds were set to bring more disruption to southern England this weekend.

Eddy Carroll, Met Office chief forecaster, said: “The current very unsettled spell of weather is set to continue with further spells of wet and windy weather expected across the country over the next few days.

“Another deep depression will bring heavy rain and strong to gale force winds to the southern half of the UK on Saturday, and this brings the potential for further flooding and travel disruption.

“We urge everyone to keep up to date with forecasts and warnings and be prepared for what the weather will bring."

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