I know it's not a lucky escape for the residents of Ottery St Mary,
but if this exceptional event had happen 7 days later on 5th November,
coinciding with Ottery St Mary hosting their annual Rolling of the Tar
Barrels event, there would have been an additional 10,000 to 15,000
visitors packed into the narrow streets together with their cars
parked in fields, there could have been utter carnage with people
loosing their lives.

http://www.tarbarrels.co.uk/