Tree branch narrowly misses man's van near Blake Park

Neil Maidment said he heard the crack from his office across the road and watched as a large tree limb narrowly missed his van. Photo/John Borren

Neil Maidment felt compelled to go out and buy a Lotto ticket after a large branch narrowly missed his van parked across the road from him this morning.

The 37-year-old was at work when he heard the loud crack of a large branch that fell from a tree and nearly hit his van.

"I heard a very, very loud crack," Maidment said. "I looked around and saw the tree had split and I thought from where I was that it had hit my van."

But luckily, the large branch completely missed his van which was parked by Blake Park on Hinau St in Mount Maunganui.

"I wondered what was going on, in an earthquake you feel something, and it sounded different than a car crash," Maidment, who moved to Tauranga with his partner about seven weeks ago, said.

Maidment was glad there was no-one around when the branch fell and said he had insurance if his van was damaged.

"It was a very near miss luckily, I should go out and buy a Lotto ticket."

He said the council had arrived to clear the branch when he went outside to assess any damage.

"I did a video for my fiance so she knew I was okay."

Tauranga City Council parks and environment team leader Warren Aitken said a council arborist went to Blake Park to assess the branch which was now cleared.

Aitken said the tree the branch fell from was a 50-year-old Macrocarpa tree.

He said branches falling from trees was an unusual event, especially on a clear day.

"We have removed the damaged stem and will continue to monitor the trees in the area."