A NEWPORT family had an incredibly lucky escape yesterday (Sunday) when gales brought a tree crashing down on their car on the M4.

Pramel Shah, his wife, and their three young children were all unharmed in the impact as the tree smashed their silver Hyundai's windscreen and dented the roof.

The family had been returning home from a trip to Plymouth. Mr Shah said he had heard travel warnings related to Storm Ciara, but until they arrived in Newport, the journey had been normal.

They were just approaching the Caerleon turn-off (Junction 25) when Mr Shah looked up and saw the tree toppling towards them.

"There was a massive gust, and I saw the tree falling down," he said. "Initially I thought it was just a branch."

Mr Shah instinctively sped up, and their car avoided the full force of the impact. He was then able to make it back to the family home.

The fallen tree closed two lanes of the westbound carriageway of the M4 for around two hours yesterday evening, while council staff worked to remove it.

Mr Shah said there was a loud bang as the tree hit his car, and broken glass fell onto him.

His eldest child, aged six, who had been awake at the time, burst into tears; and the younger children - one aged four and the other six months - both woke up bewildered.

Their father said things could have been very different had he decided to brake - rather than speed up - as he saw the tree come down on the road.

"It could have wiped us all out, in theory," Mr Shah said.

"I just thought that if I drove quickly enough, we'd miss the tree.

"If I'd braked, I would have hit the tree full-on. It's lucky there were no cars behind us."

The windscreen was smashed in the impact, but Mr Shah was able to see well enough to make it the short distance back to the family home, where they got out and inspected the damage.

Later that evening, he said, he and his wife spent time reassuring their eldest child, who had been shaken up by the ordeal.

Today, he told the South Wales Argus, everyone is feeling much better and things have returned to normal, though the car will be out of action for a while longer.