Storm Ciara brought widespread disruption to travel and power networks yesterday – and this morning residents have shared their photos and reaction in Stevenage and North Herts.
After an amber wind warning was implemented by the Met Office on Saturday afternoon, Hertfordshire saw some of its highest gales in a decade - with fallen trees blocking major roads and striking parked cars.
Thameslink and Great Northern train services were brought to a near standstill, while UK Power Networks reported it had over 1,200 field staff on call to help restore power supplies across the East and South East.
As of 8pm last night, it was estimated more than 1,500 homes in Hertfordshire were without power - and as many as 25,000 in the East of England.
Katy Parry, from Oaks Cross in Stevenage, narrowly avoided fatal injury alongside her daughter, after their parked car was struck by a toppled tree.
"My daughter and I were getting stuff out of the car when it fell, pinning my daughter between our car and the neighbour's car - and trapping us both underneath," Katy said.
"Thankfully we only suffered minor physical injuries, but it could have been a whole lot worse than just a written off car. A couple of inches either way and it could have been a very different story.
"I'm angry because the local council were made aware of this rotting tree three years ago by a neighbour, and apart from putting it on a waiting list to be removed they had left it."
Emily Matthews - from Shephall in Stevenage - said she woke up to find her greenhouse uprooted and soaring around her garden.
"We woke up groggy from the broken sleep caused by the raging winds of Ciara," Emily said. "And we arrived downstairs to see our greenhouse 20ft from its base, leaving the contents, pots, plants and earth scattered across the entire garden.
"The greenhouse windows shattered and whirled about the garden until each one was placed under large bricks to hold it down - not what we were expecting to be seeing on a Sunday morning!"
If you have photos, or would like to share your experiences of Storm Ciara, get in touch via news@thecomet.net.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here