A man at a bowling green in Leamington Spa had a remarkably close call when a large tree collapsed, with two substantial sections landing either side of him. The incident, which occurred at Victoria Park on Sunday, saw one person taken to hospital and two others receive treatment at the scene.
The Royal Leamington Spa Bowls Club was hosting a para pairs qualifying competition, a precursor to the National Bowls Finals scheduled for August at the same venue. According to David Wigman from the club, players had just vacated 'A Green', a show green frequently used for national championships, when the tree fell. He described the impact area as now resembling 'a crater', illustrating the force with which the tree struck the ground.
West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed that a woman was treated for injuries not believed to be serious before being transported to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire. Two additional individuals were assessed by paramedics and subsequently discharged at the scene. Mr Wigman emphasised the extreme fortune of the man who avoided being hit directly, stating it 'could have been a lot worse' had players still been on the green.
Bowls England, the sport's governing body, has prioritised the safety of its events and is in ongoing communication with Warwick District Council, which owns Victoria Park, to address the incident and determine the next steps. The club chairperson, whose thoughts are with those affected, anticipates that experts will be brought in to safely remove the remaining sections of the tree. The park is also set to host the 2027 World Bowls Championship, making the repair of the damaged green a significant priority.
Despite the substantial damage, described by Mr Wigman as if 'a bomb falling', the groundsman who inspected the site believes the green can be restored relatively quickly. Bowls England expressed gratitude to the emergency services and all involved for their assistance in managing the challenging situation. The para pairs competition was abandoned in its later stages, with plans for qualification to be reviewed in due course.