Two women were trapped under a tree and a third woman injured in Southwick Rec after it fell onto them in the high winds.
The Lombardy Poplar came down on the trio, one of whom was in a wheelchair, shortly before 10am this morning.
West Sussex Fire and Rescue freed the trapped women who were then taken to hospital along with a third woman whose head was hit by the branches as the tree fell.
The tree has now been cordoned off and Adur Borough Council has launched an investigation.
A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance said: “We were called just before 10am to a location near Sheldale Road to reports a tree had fallen and two women were trapped. When we arrived, it emerged there were actually three patients.
“We have attended the scene with three ambulances, two cars and also assigned the air ambulance to attend. All three patients have been taken to hospital.
“One has been taken to Worthing Hospital. The two women have both been taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, both initially reported to be suffering from spinal pain.
“One of the women was fully conscious with an injury to her head and suffering from pelvic pain.”
Lady trapped under a fallen tree at Southwick recreational ground. Awful. Helicopter just landed. pic.twitter.com/BclpO2fchm
— Sussex Commuter Dan (@SussexCommuter) October 21, 2014
John Mitchell, Director for Communities at Adur and Worthing Council said: “This must have been a terrifying incident for all concerned and the Councils are doing everything in their power to ensure that our parks are safe for all to enjoy.
“Adur District Council is responsible for the Recreation Ground and takes the safety of all visitors extremely seriously. Our investigation will be immediate and thorough, and we will make the results public as soon as we have them.
“Our thoughts are with the ladies involved – we all wish them a speedy recovery and wish to thank our 999 response teams for their swift and decisive actions.”
I hope they all make a full recovery.
What species of tree was it?