Two London skiers told of their miracle escape when their cable car was smashed by a falling tree during a storm.
Holidaymakers Sam Brown, 23, and Rachel Henson, 25, were travelling down a mountain in the French Alps when fierce winds blew the tree into their gondola.
They were saved as the force of the collision flung them out into the snow, while the tree snapped in half and the car was hurled back up into the air, still attached to the cable.
The couple were on the first day of their holiday in Abondance in the Haute-Savoie when the terrifying incident occurred.
Mr Brown, from Clapham, told the Mirror: “It was really strong winds so they shut most of the lifts at the resort. We went to get the lift down to town.
“We were in the gondola between a line of trees when a gust came and there was an automatic cut-out of power, so we had stopped.
“I saw one tree fall on the other side where there were gondolas going up. The wires shook quite violently and the next thing I know there’s another crack – it was a tree falling on our side.
“I don’t really know what happened next – I just found myself in the snow and there was debris from the gondola around me.”
He added: “We’re very lucky to have come out with just a few cuts and bruises and no broken bones.
“All those who helped us were incredible. We’d really like to thank them.”
