Gale-force winds battered north Essex yesterday, bringing down trees and causing commuter chaos.
999 crews were kept busy with more than 600 calls for firefighters and 260 calls to police.
Vehicles were overturned, trees crashed down, power supplies cut, trains delayed and properties damaged as high winds caused havoc.
A cottage in Wivenhoe was almost covered when a eucalyptus tree was blown down.
Hundreds of pupils were sent home from Stanway School, in Winstree Road, Colchester, when a gust of wind blew a window out sending pieces of glass flying over pupils' heads.
One driver escaped uninjured when his lorry overturned at the junction of the A120 and A133 near Frating.
Lorries caused further problems on the A12, A130 and M25 as emergency crews took the precaution of closing parts of the major road to prevent further incidents.
- Send us your pictures of storm damage. Email us at i-witness@nqe.com - for more details visit our i-witness section
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