A woman has died after being hit by a tree branch that snapped in south Manchester.
The victim, in her 40s, was killed on Barlow Moor Road, West Didsbury on Saturday evening, Greater Manchester Police said.
Emergency services, including paramedics, scrambled to the scene at around 7.15pm but were unable to save her.
A member of staff at Barlow Moor petrol station said they saw a “massive branch” snap and fall on top of her.
They said: “The tree just snapped, it was a big branch and just fell.
“A woman was walking underneath.
“The weather was a bit windy but not strong.
“A few locals came out and some of them were doctors so they were trying to help her. Then the ambulance came and police closed the road.
“It is a big tree and it was a massive branch that fell - blocking off all the road. It was two or three thick branches that fell at once.”
Mark Jones, who was returning home from Didsbury Pride, added: “The road was cordoned off by police and we weren’t sure what was going on, then we saw they had put white screens up, so sadly we knew that someone had died.
“It was breezy and there was a bit of rain but nothing heavy. It’s an awful thing to have happened.”
Councillor Richard Kilpatrick, who represents Didsbury West, described the death as “really tragic”, adding: “It is the worst possible timing for someone to be under there.
GMP said: “At around 7.15pm on Saturday, August 30, we were called to reports a tree had fallen onto a woman on Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury.
“Despite the best efforts of emergency workers, a woman in her 40s was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
“The death is not being treated as suspicious.”
