A 20-year-old woman from Suffolk has described waking up in the middle of a hurricane in Canada.

Holly Nixon, who is now on an internship at Cape Breton University in Sydney, Canada, was at her temporary home when Hurricane Fiona hit last Saturday.

Holly, who is from East Bergholt, said: “The hurricane started on Friday night. I thought I will be able to sleep through it, but I was constantly woken up by the wind hitting the windows and some flying branches.

East Anglian Daily Times: Sydney, Canada after Hurricane Fiona hitSydney, Canada after Hurricane Fiona hit (Image: Contributed)

“The power has gone out at about 2.50am. At 6am the whole house was shaking.

“A tree had fallen and hit the house. I just heard a big bang.

“I hoped it hasn’t done any real damage to the house. I couldn’t feel any rain or wind, so I thought that everything is ok.”

When Holly opened her curtains in the morning, she saw a fallen tree lying by the kitchen door.

East Anglian Daily Times: Holly's home after Hurricane Fiona hitHolly's home after Hurricane Fiona hit (Image: Contributed)

Holly said: “The house chimney has been knocked off.

“I was quite lucky because if the tree had fallen the other way, it would have gone just through the ceiling, straight onto my head.”

East Anglian Daily Times: Holly's home after Hurricane Fiona hitHolly's home after Hurricane Fiona hit (Image: Contributed)

Holly, who is an oceanography student at Southampton University, is now safe and looks forward to coming back home soon.