Man nearly trapped under fallen tree in alleged ‘freak accident’ at Beyond the Trees

The man was reportedly caught underneath part of a tree but managed to escape.

Visitors to the Beyond the Trees tourist attraction in Avondale Park in Wicklow were shocked when they witnessed part of a tree falling onto a pathway. The alleged incident occurred at about 2pm on Monday, with one young man who reportedly had been walking on the path becoming temporarily trapped. Luckily, he was able to crawl out through the branches and escape unharmed. Eyewitnesses told the Irish Sun:

“There was a sudden loud crack of wood splitting. “People just ran for their lives as part of this big tree ­collapsed onto the public path which people had been using. “It was a huge tree and no one was sure if their loved one was underneath. "One young man had been walking on the path and under the tree when it came down. “But on hearing the crack of wood he had been able to run, meaning that he escaped the heaviest part of the tree. "But he was still underneath the tree when it came down.” “Several men gathered to try and lift the tree but the young man managed to crawl out through the branches. It was a miracle he survived.”

The Sun also reported that an ambulance was called, but thankfully the young man didn't need to go to the hospital. In a statement for the Irish Mirror, a spokesperson for Beyond the Trees said that this was an "isolated incident" and that the park has since undergone a "rigorous safety review". The statement said:

Beyond the Trees at Avondale Forest Park has welcomed thousands of visitors in recent weeks and has the highest Health and Safety standards. The onsite forestry team has completed a rigorous safety review of the trees lining the path from the visitor centre to the carpark to ensure the continued safety of all of our visitors. This was an isolated incident and we remain in contact with the family of the visitor involved.

Beyond the Trees opened earlier this month at Avondale Park, offering visitors a 700 metre Treetop Walk, a 38m high Viewing Tower and 360-degree views of the Wicklow countryside.  Lovin.ie has contacted Beyond the Trees directly for comment on the incident. Header image via Instagram/beyond the trees READ NEXT: This website posts the price of fuel at garages all over Ireland