A BUSINESSMAN is counting the cost of a 50ft tree crashing through his warehouse after it was felled the wrong way.

Contractors were clearing 150 trees and scrub from behind the Romsey Tyre and Exhaust Centre on the Budds Lane Trading Estate, Romsey, in preparation for a new car park.

A workman who refused to be named said: "The wind was blowing the wrong way, and the tree just fell the wrong way for some reason. All of the other trees came down OK."

Owner of the Romsey Tyre and Exhaust Centre John Belle said: "The first we knew of it was when someone came into the workshop and said 'I think you had better leave because we could have problems here.'

"I have got three ramps out of action and it has damaged a few thousand pounds worth of equipment.

"There's no point in getting upset - they didn't do it on purpose. An insurance assessor is coming to look at the damage."