Town battered by strong winds (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Town battered by strong winds

Ref. 28894-82Wiltshire felt the full force of the elements at the weekend with more blustery weather expected tonight.

Trees blown over in the wind brought down cables and blocked several roads around the county, while 1,000 Wiltshire residents were still without electricity yesterday morning. In Lyneham winds reached speeds of 70mph.

Cricklade Road, which connects Swindon to the A419, was completely blocked by a fallen tree on Saturday.

Drivers, including John Holmes, of Holmes Music in Faringdon Road, were forced to turn around and find other ways to complete their journeys after the incident at 3.15pm.

Mr Holmes said: "It was a very large tree stretching across the entire width of the road. I dread to think what could have happened had there been more cars about."

Insp David McMullen, of Swindon police, said this was one of many incidents that occurred throughout the county due to the wet, blustery conditions.

He said: "Officers set up diversions and ensured traffic was rerouted safely, and that no one was injured."

The road was re-opened later in the afternoon.

Fire crews across the borough were kept busy as a result of the high winds.

Firefighters were called to the Outlet Village, in Kemble Drive, to remove a metal Jaeger shop sign that was hanging dangerously.

They were in action again to remove a dangling satellite dish from a house in William Street, Swindon, and in Wootton Bassett crews attended a house in Strattsburn Crescent where the wind had blown tiles off a roof.

And a high-sided lorry overturned on the westbound carriageway of the M4, near Membury.

Southern Electric spokesman Julian Reeves said falling trees, roof tiles and other debris had brought down electricity cables affecting Swindon, including homes in Dorcan, Eldene and Nythe. Power was also cut to homes in Ashton Keynes

He said: "The worst hit areas were north of the region in Wiltshire and Oxfordshire.

"At the height of the storm, between 4pm and 10pm on Saturday, we had 50,000 homes without electricity across our region."

All power was back on today.

According to the Met Office winds in Swindon reached 20mph during Saturday afternoon and were expected to gust at up to 25mph tonight and tomorrow morning.

Alex Emery