Residents have spoken of their shock after a gable end collapsed in stormy conditions, injuring two women as they waited for a bus.
Two neighbours, who asked not to be named, said they looked out of their homes this morning to find residents digging two women out of the rubble which had fallen on them.
A lady who lives opposite the bus stop where the incident happened said: "There was people picking up the rubble and digging them out from under it with their bare hands.
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"Everyone who saw it happen had just rushed to help them and get them out as fast as they could.
"Then ambulance crew came with hard hats on and started to dig them out too."
Her neighbour added: "One woman was put on a stretcher and taken to an ambulance and the other manged to walk in.
"They're very lucky to survive something like that. Those bricks are huge and they came down right on top on them."
Northumbria Police confirmed that both women were treated at the scene for injuries that are not described as life threatening.
One neighbour also said that another woman who was walking passed the bus stop when the incident happened was hit on the back of the leg by a falling brick, but was otherwise unharmed.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: "At about 10.15am today (Saturday) we received a report that a gable end had collapsed and fallen on two women in the Alice Street area of Winlaton.
"Emergency services attended and both women were treated at the scene for injuries that are not described as life threatening.
"The area has been cordoned off and made secure by the local authority."
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