A YOUNG nurse was taken to hospital after her car crashed into a fallen tree - an accident her father claims could have been prevented.

Vicky Burles' car collided with the fallen tree on Manmoel Road, near Blackwood, just before 7am on Saturday.

Her father, David Burles, of Gelli Coediog Farm, Manmoel, claims the tree had been condemned in November and should have been felled.

He said: "If it had been felled, this would not have happened."

The 23-year-old nurse had been on her way to work at the critical care unit of the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport.

She suffered a cracked sternum and bruised hips and legs and was released from the wreckage of her car by firefighters using hydraulic cutting equipment.

After calling for help using her mobile phone, she was taken to the Royal Gwent by ambulance but was released yesterday evening.

Mr Burles said: "She has to have complete bed rest and is in a lot of pain but she is a very, very lucky girl.

"If had been simply an act of nature we could accept it, but this need not have happened."

The road into Manmoel was closed for several hours while the fallen beech tree - which came down during the high winds - was cleared by council workers.

The village's electricity supply was also cut off for several hours.

Farmer Colin Davies owns a farm just yards from where the accident happened.

He said the tree, which he estimated was around 60ft tall, had fallen across the road during the night, bringing down power cables.

Argoed councillor Alan Williams declined to comment but said he would be investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident.