A MORAY couple believe they were saved by “divine intervention” when a 70ft tree crashed on to their doorstep.
The huge spruce missed John and Bernice Hogg’s home by inches after being blown down in a storm.
But although they emerged unscathed from the incident, they are unable to use their front door because the evergreen is lying right in front of it.
The Hoggs, who stay at The Manse in Alves, now plan to turn the tree into a supply of firewood and planks.
Mr Hogg said: “We were at the back of the house on Christmas Eve when we heard a noise outside, it wasn’t loud at all, but it was certainly what you’d call an ‘unusual’ sound.
“Both of us came through to the front room to investigate. The tree was right up against the windows completely blocking the view — you could hardly see outside.”
But having had such a narrow escape, the couple are determined to see the funny side of things.
They decorated the tree with tinsel and lights and are now waiting until the new year for workmen to come and cut up it up.
In the meantime, they are telling visitors to call at their back door.
The couple have lived in the property for the past 21 years. It was built in 1844 and stands next to the village church. Mr Hogg, a retired councillor who represented the Heldon and Laich ward on Moray Council until last year, said he and his wife had considered getting rid of the spruce recently.
He said: “It was obviously very old and was stood very near the house.
“We don’t know whether it was originally planted there on purpose or not.
“However, we thought for safety reasons it might have to come down at some point.
“The high winds have done the job for us.”
When the tree is cut up the couple are keen to count the rings on its trunk to establish its age.
They plan to use its branches as firewood, after first leaving them to dry out for a year, and the trunk will be turned into planks and used to make something for the garden.
Mr Hogg said: “Some folk might think it was just good luck that the house was not damaged.
“But, happening on Christmas Eve as it did, I’d like to think it had something to do with divine intervention.”
The ferocious winds over the festive season have already caused widespread damage. In Elgin’s Linkwood Road, gales brought down a large section of the Fleming’s sawmill, which had lain derelict for the past two decades. Families living nearby were evacuated by police.
They were only allowed to return to their homes in the middle of Christmas Day afternoon.
Several tonnes of rubble fell down, blocking Linkwood Road, although neighbouring houses were undamaged. Residents are now calling for the rest of the derelict building to be pulled down to prevent the risk of further collapse.
An application to turn the sawmill site into a retail park was rejected by the local authority in 2009.