A 50FT length of wall behind houses in Clerkenwell Crescent, Malvern, collapsed during the storm.

The wall, more than 6ft high, was brought down by the swaying of trees growing alongside it, according to a nearby resident.

Terry Ford, of Clerkenwell Crescent, said he had warned the wall's owner, Sanctuary Housing Association, three years ago that the trees posed a hazard.

He said: "They were self-seeded and they have grown to about 60ft."

Mr Ford said that on Sunday morning the trees were repeatedly whipped against the wall by the force of the wind. By about 8.20am this had caused a long section of it to collapse.

"I don't want to say 'I told you so' but about three years ago I did warn Sanctuary that something like this could happen," he said.

"I said the top 20ft or so of the trees needed cutting down and they sent me a letter asking if I wanted to do the job myself."

Mr Ford said trimming them could have reduced the whiplash effect and saved the wall.

He said: "It's just lucky that there was no one walking past at the time, otherwise somebody could have been killed."

Sebastian Taylor, estate services manager for West Bromwich-based Sanctuary, said although the wall was owned by it, the trees were outside its land and were not its responsibility.

He said the association would consult residents on a replacement wall and would talk to the local authority about the ownership of the trees.