Storm kept thieves out of trouble (From Stroud News and Journal)

Storm kept thieves out of trouble

PEOPLE throughout the Five Valleys battened down the hatches and prepared for one of the most ferocious storms to hit Britain for 12 years on Saturday night.

High winds approaching 100 mph caused problems right across Gloucestershire and emergency services had to deal with over 300 calls overnight relating to the storm and in the morning as people woke to survey the damage. Fallen trees and blocked roads were predictably the most common problems although electrcity cables were also brought down in several places as branches crashed through them, leaving parts of the district without power.

Motorists were urged to stay off the roads with police advising people not to make journeys unless absolutely necessary.

And those who had to brave the storm were warned to steer clear of the motorway where the winds had scattered traffic cones and signs from roadworks across the carriageways. The county council's highways department struggled to cope with the quantity of trees and branches they had to remove from the road.

Stroud Town Council staff were called out on Sunday morning to remove a huge ash tree that had been felled by the winds in Park Gardens, smashing through a wall and across Slad Road, tearing down cables as it went.

For full story and picture round-up see this week's SNJ.