FOLK-rock musician Seth Lakeman from Yelverton who recently went behind bars to launch his solo album inside Dartmoor jail, will be headlining at Morwellham Quay?s third annual evening of acoustic music on Saturday July 24.

Along with other Dartmoor inspired songs, Seth will be performing ?Blood Upon Copper? a song inspired by the copper mining history of the area.

Seth, 26, is well-known locally and in the folk world and has travelled the world extensively with folk-rock group Equation and Irish singing sensation Cara Dillon. He has recently released his second album, ?Kitty Jay?. The songs are inspired by the legends and landscape of Dartmoor and should fit really well with the unique mix of past and present that is Morwellham Quay.

The evening features a blend of traditional and contemporary acoustic music and will also AN Okehampton taxi driver had a lucky escape last week when his cab was struck by a falling tree.

The accident, just after 3pm last Wednesday, resulted in the closure of New Road in Okehampton throughout the following day.

Mike McAllen, 53, who drives for Okehampton Taxis, was taking a passenger into town along New Road when his car was suddenly hit by the falling tree.

?I heard one big mighty crash ? all these branches were coming down right in front of me and then this big tree hit the back of the car.

?All of the windows were popping and smashing, the only one left intact was the windscreen,? he said.

Mike, who lives in Okehampton, said both he and his young passenger had been very shaken by the accident, although neither sustained any serious injuries.

?We were both lucky. There was glass everywhere, it is amazing really.?

Mike said the wind and rain did not appear to have been particularly strong at the time he was travelling along the road, which gave him no indication of what was about to happen.

?I have been driving taxis for 15 or 16 years, and this is the first time I have ever been that shook up by something.

?I don?t know why it happened, I think it was the shock of it more than anything,? he added.

Mike?s taxi was completely written off following the accident, but he was able to return to work behind the wheel of another vehicle last weekend.

Okehampton local services officer Brian George said the accident had involved a major clear up operation.

?The road was closed for safety reasons, arrangements were then made for a contractor to come in and assess the tree.

?It was decided there was a need to remove it and they also took off some lower limbs while the road was closed.?

A 50ft crane was used to assist in the felling and removal of the tree, which had to be painstakingly managed due to the proximity of houses along New Road.

The road was finally re-opened late on Thursday.

Mr George added a reminder to the public, following the incident.

?All landowners have a responsibility to maintain any trees belonging to them and asses their condition on a regular basis,? he said.