ONE driver had an unwelcome surprise when they went to collect their car on Thursday evening. High winds had blown a large tree branch onto a red Sierra parked in a public car park on St Andrews Street in Biggleswade. Staff from Biggleswade Town Council r

ONE driver had an unwelcome surprise when they went to collect their car on Thursday evening.

High winds had blown a large tree branch onto a red Sierra parked in a public car park on St Andrews Street in Biggleswade.

Staff from Biggleswade Town Council removed the branch on Friday.

* Two lampposts in Pixmore Way, Letchworth GC, were badly damaged and a tree also came down across the street narrowly missing parked cars but bringing down a phone line.

* Rubbish collections across North Hertfordshire were delayed due to high winds, and many areas did not have a collection.

* Other incidents included signs being torn down at Ivel Court, Letchworth GC, and on the Roaring Meg retail park in Stevenage.

* Firefighters also had to deal with a tree that fell on a car in Gun Lane, Knebworth, and damage to a roof in Silver Street, Ashwell.

* Police and fire crews also attended an incident on the A1(M) between junctions 6 and 7 when a van was blown into a lamppost.

* High winds were also responsible for blowing plaster off the wall of the flat above the Hogshead pub in The Plaza, Stevenage. Council workers had to fence off the pavement outside the pub until the smashed plaster was cleared up.

* In Arlesey a beach tree crashed down blocking Church End.

* Fallen trees also partially blocked Old Knebworth Lane at the side of Knebworth Park, and London Road leading out of Knebworth was also blocked when a large tree crashed across it.

* After the storm emergency services and the county councils covering Comet country said they attended over 500 calls for help