A dad has described the terrifying moment a large window plummeted from an apartment block, narrowly missing a group of people in Ocean Village.

The window fell from the Moresby Tower at Admiral’s Quay in Ocean Village around 6.30pm on Thursday evening.

It came as Southampton was battered by gale-force winds, with the Met Office issuing a yellow warning for strong winds.

On top of this, a tornado warning was issued for parts of the South.

Speaking to the Echo, eyewitness Mark Pouncy said he had just gone into Maritimo Lounge when he heard the loud blast.

Daily Echo: Window fell from tower block in SouthamptonWindow fell from tower block in Southampton (Image: Mark Pouncy)Daily Echo: Window gap above Maritimo Lounge, SouthamptonWindow gap above Maritimo Lounge, Southampton (Image: Mark Pouncy)

The 40-year-old from Sholing said: “A friend and I went into Maritimo Lounge to grab a coffee as the weather was horrible and very windy.

“We came through the main door, and we sat down in the window seat. The photo was taken from where I was sitting.

“A large group of people walked through the same door and there was a massive crash.

READ MORE: Garden walls crumbles in strong winds

“I thought the door had fallen off but it was a large pane of glass from the flats above.

“We said to the group ‘Oh my gosh, you guys almost died’. It was so close; it must have been two seconds. It could have been a scene from Final Destination.”

Pictures Mark shared with the Echo show the large piece of smashed glass on the ground.

They also show a hole in the façade of the building where the window was seemingly on the 12th floor.

Daily Echo: Window gap above Maritimo Lounge, SouthamptonWindow gap above Maritimo Lounge, Southampton (Image: Newsquest, Jose Ramos)

Daily Echo: Window gap above Maritimo Lounge, SouthamptonWindow gap above Maritimo Lounge, Southampton (Image: Newsquest, Jose Ramos)

The staff at the lounge were quick to take action and locked the door, with customers having to use the side door.

The dad of four from Sholing added: “I laid was in bed last night thinking what if that had hit someone - it would have been instant death.

“I will not be going anywhere near that block again.”

On Friday morning a wooden pallet was seen covering the gap where the pane of glass would be.

It is not the first time there has been an issue involving windows at Moresby Tower, after a cordon was put in place in July 2018, after heat caused one of the windows to crack.

The Met Office’s warning was in place from 7am yesterday morning until 11.59pm as parts of the South registered winds of 50 to 70mph.