A sail from an iconic windmill has crashed through the roof of a museum, spraying debris onto parked cars below.
At around 6.45pm on Sunday one of the sails of the historic Wimbledon Windmill sheared off, damaging the first floor roof of the windmill itself, and its balustrading.
The windmill was closed to visitors at the time, because of the local road closures as part of the Prudential London Cycle Ride.
The windmill has stood on the site for nearly 200 years, and is a well-known part of Wimbledon’s skyline.
It is a Grade II* Listed structure because of its special architecture and its historic importance locally - Robert Baden-Powell wrote much of "Scouting for Boys" at the windmill.
Roy Robart, 59, from Putney, visits the Common every day.
He said: "It just hit something emotive in me.
"I was born in Holland so I've got an affinity with the windmill, I think it's a great little touch base to my roots, the windmill has got quite a bit of affection in my heart.
"There weren't particularly high winds the previous night, so I think it's just fatigue, I think it's just snapped and fallen through.
"If they do repair it I hope they do so quickly, the crane is up already, but I imagine it will take some time."
Keith Luck, Chairman of the Conservators (Trustees) said: “The damage to the structure is substantial. Thank goodness no one was injured.
"Commons staff undertook immediate measures to secure the site, pending an assessment by our specialist millwright.
"The Windmill is very much a part of the heritage of Wimbledon Common and it is likely that these repairs will run to many thousands of pounds.
"The Conservators who are responsible for the fabric of the Windmill will actively pursue all possible avenues for funding the repairs, and this may include a fund-raising appeal for this much-loved building.”
Andrew Simon Chairman of the Wimbledon Windmill Museum Trust said: “The Museum trustees will work with the Commons staff and Conservators to get the damage repaired as rapidly as possible, but the Windmill cannot be opened to the public until this has been done.”
An assessment of the damage will take place over the next few days, but for the foreseeable future the building will remain closed to visitors.
The repair work is likely to involve the removal of all sails and will be a complex job.
