Families in Bath had a lucky escape last night after landslide caused a three tonne boulder to crash down behind their homes.
Residents Upper Camden Place, Camden, were woken by the loud crashing sound as the boulder was disloged in the landslide caused by torrential rain.
"I was woken by a huge rumbling crashing sound, which I was very puzzled about," said Bob Williams, whose house backs onto the road.
"I looked out of the window, but it was too dark to see anything, then the police knocked on our door to let us know what had happened."
Gary Lock was not so lucky. He said: "My car was parked near and suffered some damage when the rocks fell.
"I heard the noise, and came out to investigate.
"Then I decided to move my car in case any more rocks fell.
"We were very lucky that our house was not damaged and it is so lucky that no one was hurt."
Police were alerted and were on the scene within minutes.
Mr Williams said: "I was worried about the house, especially as I have a four year old.
"This is a well used road and it is so lucky that no one was walking there when it happened.
"We were fortunate that our house suffered no damage, there was just a bit of rubble that reached us and pushed open our garden gate."
A structural engineer from Bath and North East Somerset Council was called to the scene and estimated that the boulder weighed around three tonnes.
The landslip blocked the front entrance to the headquarters of risk analysis specialists Maplecroft.
Spokesman Ed Cole said: "We have a back entrance so luckily we can still access the building.
"The council were quickly on site clearing the debris, and we will work with them to remove it.
"I think that with all the rain we have been having the drains became blocked with leaves and so we not handling it.
"This caused part of a retaining wall to break off and roll down the hill, taking so trees down with it."
The road has now reopened, but a nearby footpath remains closed.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
