An Ipswich lady has hailed the community spirit of her street after they pulled together to clear fallen trees.

Emma Howells, who lives in Clapgate Lane in the town, has spoken of the action taken by her and her neighbours to clear the road after St Jude’s storm brought down trees in the area.

Mrs Howells, 34, said: “Several large trees and huge branches came down, blocking the road in both directions.

“Lots of the neighbours got together and pulled all the branches off the road.

I’ve never seen so many neighbours on this road before. It was a real community spirit.

“I’m so pleased no one was hurt by the falling trees. It could have been a lot worse.”

Mrs Howells, who lives with her husband and son, also said a local man turned up like a “knight in shining armour” with a chainsaw and started cutting the trees up for the residents to clear them.

“A gentleman turned up who we thought was from the council,” Mrs Howells said.

“But he was a local man visiting a friend with his chainsaw and he used his own equipment and protective clothing to dismantle the larger trees.

“For coming along and helping us in his own time we are so grateful.”

The man with the chainsaw was Richard Seager who was visiting a friend in the area at the time.

Mr Seager said he decided to help out after seeing the road blocked by a fallen tree because emergency services wouldn’t have been able to get through had they been required.