COMET country seems to have escaped the worst of the storms. In Bedfordshire there were no reports of any damage to buildings or even trees being blown down. In some areas the heavy rain left deep surface water on roads and the AI(M) in Hertfordshire and

COMET country seems to have escaped the worst of the storms.

In Bedfordshire there were no reports of any damage to buildings or even trees being blown down.

In some areas the heavy rain left deep surface water on roads and the AI(M) in Hertfordshire and A1 in Bedfordshire was slow moving because of the high winds.

Traffic was also slow on the B656 between Codicote and Hitchin because of deep water outside Vanstone's nursery and in Hitchin itself traffic was very slow because of the road being partially flooded on the Cambridge Road near the railway bridge and by the Millstream pub.

Chris Adams, station commander at Shefford and a senior officer with Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We remain on alert after the warnings we were given yesterday but it seems the forecasters have over-egged their pudding on this occasion.

"We were told there was a 40 per cent chance of structural damage and transport disruption but there has been just a strong breeze and a few twigs brought down."

A tree came down in Newnham Road, Baldock, but traffic was unaffected.

Network Rail said there were no problems in the region, but limited trains to 50 miles per hour.