A COUPLE who lost their home in a storm have moved into their favourite local Wetherspoons.

Catherine and Harold Mills were already big fans of The John Francis Basset in Camborne, and would visit once a week for a cheap dinner and glass of wine. But after their home was destroyed by a falling tree - forcing them to flee with just a few items of clothing - they were in no doubt of where they wanted to seek safety.

They spent their first night at the hotel pub on January 9, and six weeks on have became part of the furniture, enjoying daily cooked breakfasts and dinners from the chain's menu.

They will be staying until at least March 5, when they hope to move into rental accommodation, marking the end of a 55-day stay at the budget boozer.

Catherine, 86, says that despite such a traumatic experience, being able to stay at The John Francis Basset had made the ordeal more bearable. They are working their way through the menu, taking advantage of pizza and curry days, tucking into fish and chips and jacket potatoes, and discovering the sticky Korean chicken bowl.

Catherine and husband Harold, 84, had lived in their home for 23 years, but a huge tree came down on January 8 during Storm Goretti. “It was a huge pine – it needed four people, hands joined together to get round the girth of it,” said Catherine.

The damage sufffered by Catherine and Harold Mills's house when it was hit by a fallen tree. // An elderly couple who lost their home in a storm have moved to their local Wetherspoons. Catherine and Harold Mills were already big fans of their local Spoons and would visit once a week. But after their home was destroyed by a falling tree - forcing them to flee with just a few items of clothing - they were in no doubt of where they wanted to seek refuge. They spent their first night at the pub on 9 January and six weeks later have became part of the furniture - enjoying a cooked breakfast and a dinner from the chain's menu every day - along with a 'nice cheap glass of win.'
The damage sufffered by Catherine and Harold Mills's house when it was hit by a fallen tree. (Courtesy Catherine Mills / SWNS)

" It was 143 years old and was eight yards away from our property, and it came down right through our home - through the lounge at the front, through the kitchen and one of the bedrooms.

“We were lucky. We had just finished tea and I got hit on the back of the head with falling debris.

"We called 999, and the fire brigade came out and said I should go to hospital, but I escaped with just cuts and bruises.”

The pair grabbed important papers and some clothes, but had to abandon many personal effects: “They've all been ruined.” After spending the evening on their daughter's sofa, they checked into Wetherspoons.

It’s “just around the corner and so is near everything we know. We don't drive any longer and don't want to go too far away. We would go once a week religiously and knew lots of the people there already.”

When it became clear they were staying long-term, staff set the pair up in a well-equipped room above the bar. "When the bar staff see us now, they joke we are here longer than they are,” Catherine added. “They have been so kind - I don't think we can buy a card big enough to thank everyone there for what they've done for us.

"We are now fans for life and will continue to come back here even when we do move out."

The couple have been told it could take more than a year to fix their home. Their insurance company, Ventis, is paying for their stay at the hotel.