A mature elm tree uprooted in wet weather and came crashing down on to a house.

Musician Mark Wright was on his own in the lounge, watching television and having a cup of tea when he heard an "almighty sound".

He said: "I thought my roof had collapsed so I ran upstairs. There wasn't any damage from there but I noticed the tree's branches were against the window.

"A neighbour rushed out to see because he heard it fall from their garden across the road across to me."

Branches had smashed down his guttering and crushed his garden fence.

Mr Wright, 32, a guitarist, of Victoria Road, Portslade, said the damage could have been worse.

A couple of house later and the path outside his house would have been full of children and families making their way home from Benfield Junior School in Old Shoreham Road.

The tree which towered above homes in the street, ended up blocking the path and the route to the nearby cemetery. For generations, the tree has been a part of the scenery in leafy Victoria Road. Mr Wright remembers walking by the Elms as a small child. It is not known what brought the tree down.

Mr Wright said part of the blame should lie with Brighton and Hove City Council who he said should have pruned the road's trees.

He said neighbours had complained to the council, calling for the trees to be cut back.

The tree is among dozens lining the road and neighbours fear others could could come crashing down.

Mr Wright wants the council to pay for the damage.

He said: "The taller and bushier the tree has got, the more it has been blown and - with the ground being so wet with all the rain - it has fallen down on my house.

"We're very fortunate because the tree is so big it could have been a lot worse. The larger these trees get, the more susceptible they're going to be for something like this to happen again. I'm very concerned about the state of the others and the council needs to do something about it to reduce the risk of this happening again but with more serious consequences."

Neighbours have also complained about them blocking sunlight.

Council officers spent Friday afternoon cutting and clearing the tree from the walkway.

A council spokesman said: "Trees are usually routinely inspected and pruned as and when needed. It has not yet been possible to check the pruning history in this case although we will be doing so.

"Generally, the city has a good record for looking after its trees which is why we have so many fine specimens."