Builder Rod Wood, 44, of Old Worthing Road, Rustington, was driving in today's stormy weather when a tree fell on to the road just four yards in front of his car.

He said if he had not braked immediately the 40ft tree would have smashed through his windscreen and killed him.

Mr Wood was in Forest Road, Worthing, when his mobile rang and he stopped the car to answer it. Seconds later the tree crashed down in front of him.

He said: "If the phone hadn't rung I would have been killed. There must be an angel looking after me. I am a bit shaken now but feel very lucky to be alive."

An onlooker driving behind Mr Wood said: "I don't know how he got away with it? Two trees went down in the same road at the same time. If any of them had fallen on a car they would have gone straight through the roof."

Mr Wood said the near-miss was the latest in a series of catastrophes to befall him in the past few years.

First he needed a double hip replacement, then his nine-month marriage failed when his ex-wife accused him of becoming besotted with Cherie Blair's style guru, Carole Caplin.

He said: "I don't seem to be having much luck. I'm not really surprised something like this has happened to me.

"It is really stormy out there and I have already helped one friend put his roof back on his shed but it would be me that nearly gets killed."

To see pictures sent in by our readers of the chaos caused by today's high winds, click here