A MAN miraculously escaped death when a tree crashed down on his beloved limited-edition TVR sports car - just before he was about to climb inside.

Neil Devonshire, 30, of Ness Road, Shoebury, had gone outside to polish the leather interior of his rare purple "pearlescent" Cerbera TVR, when the poplar tree suddenly toppled down on it.

The 20-tonne tree, which had stood in the courtyard of his neighbour's garden, was rotten at the roots and it is thought a strong gust of wind sent it crashing down.

It caused tens of thousands of pounds' damage.

Not only did it wreck Mr Devonshire's car, the tree demolished a fence and smashed through the kitchen roof of another neighbour, Peter Wiggles- worth.

Mr Devonshire said: "I had been cleaning the inside of the car all morning and was just about to go out and finish it. I was seconds away from being killed. I feel very lucky.

"I am devastated about the car. I couldn't see it because it was covered in the branches of the tree.

"I only got it in June and have been using it at weekends. There were six of these cars in the world, but I know one was wrecked recently, so now there are only four."

Mr Devonshire will now have to travel to his parents' house in Lincolnshire to collect his second car, a Ford Mondeo.

Mr Wigglesworth said his three-year-old daughter had also escaped serious inujry, as she normally played on the decking in his back garden, which was ruined by the tree.

He said: "Instead she was in the living room with me when we heard this massive bang and crash. She was very scared."