Motorist has close shave in Domain

The owner of this rental car had just reported it stolen when the Herald told him it had been crushed by a tree in the Auckland Domain. Photo / Greg Bowker

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A man cheated death when a huge eucalyptus gum tree blew over and crushed the car he was sitting in in the Auckland Domain.

The man was in the Mitsubishi stationwagon reading a newspaper near the cricket grounds when the 15m tree crashed down on top of the vehicle, which is a write-off.

The Herald tracked down the owner, who was startled at the news, given he had only hours before reported the rental vehicle stolen because it had not been returned for a couple of weeks.

John Pedersen, of car rental firm James Blond, said it was the first he had heard of the incident.

Mr Pedersen said he had regular problems with people hiring cars and not returning them.

"My phone calls haven't been returned."

He said the man appeared to be living a transient lifestyle.

The Auckland City Council said the tree, planted in the 1930s or 1940s, appeared to have had internal decay.

All the trees were checked and pruned regularly to minimise the risk of such incidents, a spokesman said.

Ambulance services reported the man's injuries as "extremely minor".

A witness said he appeared to have hurt his arm.