Godfrey was sweating and he screwed his eyes up. Agnes and I exchanged worried looks. Next would come lightning and given our current run of luck, the last thing we needed was to be struck by that too.

Agnes looked up. ‘Here come some more people.’

It was Matt and three other men I hadn’t seen before who must have arrived while I was sleeping.

‘Call an ambulance,’ I yelled and one of the men did.

‘If we can lift the tree a little, we might be able to pull him free,’ Matt shouted.

‘The tree’s been dead for a while,’ I yelled, shivering. ‘We might manage to move it between us.’

‘You’re not lifting anything,’ Matt warned. ‘Out of the way.’

‘Be quick,’ shouted Agnes, brushing water from her face. ‘He is very grey.’

Roger leaned over Godfrey who’d stopped making any noise. ‘Hang on in there, chum, have you out in a jiffy.’

‘If we take some of the weight off here,’ I said, gesturing to the mid-section of the trunk, ‘we can ease him out.’

‘I’ve got it!’ It was Dad. He was wearing a hard hat with ear defenders attached and had found the chainsaw and a length of rope.

I let out a shaky breath. This would soon be over. Thank heavens Dad was here.

‘What’s happening?’ Clare gasped breathlessly, sliding on the wet grass as she joined us.

‘Godfrey’s hurt and I think he might be drifting in and out of consciousness,’ I said. ‘Can you wait in the yard and direct the ambulance?’

She nodded and ran back uphill, slithering in the mud.

I grabbed hold of the rope, threaded it under the trunk and tied a knot.

‘Everyone out of the way,’ Dad ordered and started up the chainsaw. The roar of it made everyone take a step backwards.

He sliced into the trunk. I dug my feet into the slippery ground and pulled on the rope. There were alarm bells going off in my head; I knew I was being foolish, but I couldn’t let anything happen to Godfrey. And anyway I wasn’t alone; behind me, Matt grabbed the rope and several others behind him did the same. With a concerted effort, we pulled the top section of the tree clear of Godfrey’s legs. My arms ached, my thighs were quivering and my stomach was taut from clenching my muscles; I was exhausted – physically and mentally.

‘Careful!’ Agnes cried, trying to protect the old man from falling branches.

‘Uhhhhh.’ Godfrey’s eyes flickered open.

‘Godfrey!’ I sank to the muddy floor in relief and sobbed as if my heart would break. ‘Thank goodness.’