By Dilip Kuner • Published: 21 Apr 2019 • 11:13
AN EASTER tradition in a Spanish village nearly ended in disaster when a tree trunk crashed to the ground, narrowly missing spectators.
In the festival – the origins of which are unknown – a 40-metre tall tree trunk is taken to the main square in Cornella del Terri (Catalonia) before being allowed to crash to the ground and shatter into pieces on the hard cobbles.
Crowds gather to witness the event, but this time high winds nearly caused a tragedy as the trunk started to topple towards the spectators rather than fall into the empty square.
People scattered amongst screams to avoid the trunk, which at the last second was pushed away from the spectators by two men who had been holding it upright.
The trunk smashed onto the cobbles narrowly missing residents including a young boy who had run across the square to avoid the tree’s original path.
Now the town’s mayor has pledged to keep crowds further back in future years, saying such a dangerous situation should never have arisen.
One twitter user though was quite impressed, saying the event was usually quite dull, but at least this year there was a bit of excitement.
Un dels actes tradicionals de la festa major de Cornellà del Terri és la Tallada de l'Arbre de Maig. Generalment passa totalment decepercebut…. però avui, per poc, acaba a tots els telenotícies! 😰🙈 pic.twitter.com/Q9bZHS7hYH — Maria Garcia (@MariutGarcia) April 19, 2019
Un dels actes tradicionals de la festa major de Cornellà del Terri és la Tallada de l'Arbre de Maig. Generalment passa totalment decepercebut…. però avui, per poc, acaba a tots els telenotícies! 😰🙈 pic.twitter.com/Q9bZHS7hYH
— Maria Garcia (@MariutGarcia) April 19, 2019
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