A mother and daughter cheated death when a 10-tonne beech tree crashed onto the car they were sitting in, trapping the mother for three hours.

Wallington housewife Sue Barrington, 44, was with her 11-year-old daughter, Sophie, in Beddington Park on Saturday, when the 40ft tree crushed their car, right in front of her seven-year-old son, David, whom she had been watching play football.

As the Croydon Guardian went to press, the mother-of-four was still in Mayday Hospital following an operation on her leg on Sunday.

Sophie injured her foot in the incident and hopes she will recover soon so that she can return to her hobby, karate. She takes lessons at Ryelands School, South Norwood.

Croydon Fire station Sub officer Simon Freelander said:"We freed the girl within half an hour, but tree surgeons worked for three hours to free her mother.

"She was suffering a lot of pain and was drifting in and out of consciousness. She was extremely lucky. To be honest, we were expecting the worst."

Husband Doug Barrington, 50, said: "When my wife saw the tree falling she shouted jump back!' and Sophie did, but my wife couldn't. Susan's putting on a cheerful front but she's having nightmares."

Sutton Council, who are responsible for the park, are investigating the incident.