This is the moment a giant silver orb blown off in a storm causes carnage slamming into a car driving down Tottenham Court Road.
Footage shot from under Centre Point shows two of the huge silver balls rolling down the landmark street in the early hours of Monday. One explodes after hitting a lampost shedding its silver foil.
A car swerves out of the way at the last moment as the second orb blows past All Bar One with social media users likening it to the iconic boulder scene in Indiana Jones.
Twitter users commented on the surreal sight, one saying: “We are getting the apocalypse we deserve.”
Another asked: “Is this the earth’s way of telling us late October is too early to decorate for Christmas?”
High winds from Storm Claudio ripped the 16-foot wide orbs from their concrete fixing part of an art installation by Tom Shannon, supposed to be on display in London’s St Giles’ Square until Friday.
Electronic DJ’s Mount Kimbie, who commissioned the piece to announce the release of their new album, shared a statement on Instagram in the wake of the carnage.
“The fact that it was so out in the open and public was one of the best parts of the work and when seeing the joy and intrigue it brought to everyone who walked through the square,” Kai Campos wrote.
“It felt like it had a life of its own and one that was just getting started. I’m absolutely gutted that more people won’t get to see it this week.”
He added: “We of course had prepared for bad weather and strong winds, but just got really unlucky last night. It was amazing, but too brief.”
It came the day before Oxford Street’s annual Christmas light switch-on, which is due to take place on Wednesday and is expected to attract huge crowds.
A yellow Met Office weather warning was in place on Monday as southern England was battered by Storm Claudio.
