Northland teacher left bedroom shortly before tree fell on house

Strong winds toppled a large tree in Pukepoto Rd Kaitaia on Sunday night, demolishing a bedroom of a Kaitaia College teacher's house

If Kaitaia College teacher Annelize Griesel believes in luck, she might well buy a Lotto ticket.

Annelize was unwell on Sunday and spent much of the day in bed at her college house in Pukepoto Rd.

She got up in the evening for a meal, and in that brief period of time a large tree finally succumbed to the strong wind that had blown all day.

Much of the tree landed on the front lawn, but the lower trunk smashed through the north-west corner of the house, immediately above the bedroom where she had spent the day.

She and her husband, Hendrik, agreed that had she been there when the tree fell she would have been lucky to avoid serious injury, or worse.

The couple, and teenage sons Henco and Marco, were unscathed, but badly shaken.

When he felt the house shake Hendrick thought there had been an earthquake. When he realised what had happened, he gave thanks his wife had not been in bed at the time.

The tree demolished the roof and ceiling immediately above the bed.

Annelize said she was actually cleaning the kitchen floor when the tree fell.

It wasn't her favourite chore, but she was very pleased that she had chosen to do it on Sunday.

The couple's first call was to South African compatriot Michael Withiel, who they felt would know what to do, but the Kaitaia Fire Brigade also responded, although there was little the crew could do apart from calling on Top Energy to cut the electricity.

The house though is in need of repair.