Autumn winds leave trail of destruction for Halloween

Monday, 1 November 2021 10:01

Autumn is well and truly with us, as weather systems from the Atlantic battered much of the country this weekend including Rutland and Stamford.

Strong and stormy winds yesterday morning left a trail of destruction across Rutland and Stamford in both towns and villages. Speeds of 69 mph were recorded at Wittering and 45mph in Uppingham. The low pressure weather system responsible for the stormy conditions came in from the Atlantic and caused chaos across much of the country this weekend.

A number of trees came down across the area blocking several roads and causing serious damage. Three came down blocking main roads in Stamford, two in Ketton - one of which took down a stone wall, one in Collyweston and in Easton-on-the-hill where a tree smashed the Polish war memorial. Villagers in Easton say that all artifacts are safe and that, while funding may be needed, the memorial is expected to be fully restored. Oakham fire station freed three people from a car that had been crushed by a tree at Hambleton Hall and ,thankfully, nobody was hurt.

The storm also affected public events. The Stamford Spooktacular was cancelled after organisers saw three large branches come down on to the Recreation Ground. Parkland around Grimsthorpe Castle and Burghley House was also closed to the public yesterday amid safety fears. Meanwhile a power cut affected nearly a thousand homes east of Stamford, including Uffington and Tallington; a number of houses were off all day and into the night.

As we begin a new week and a new month, the low pressure system responsible for the havoc across the county will begin to move north east of the UK. As it does, we will see a colder northerly wind flow down the country bringing with it a risk of overnight frost and fog patches.