The UK was hit by Storm Bert over the weekend and while Swindon was spared the worst impacts, its effects were still felt across the town.

A yellow weather warning for rain and wind from Saturday to Sunday was followed by gusts of over 50mph, bringing down trees and pylons.

The storm brought more than 80 per cent of November’s average monthly rainfall in less than 48 hours. (Image: Dave Cox)

Locally, Swindon Borough Council was busy removing trees from residential streets including Corral Close in Nine Elms and Atworth Close.

Wiltshire Police also received a “high number” of reports of fallen objects but warned people against calling them about fallen trees or branches, reporting that their control room was “extremely busy”.

The police force was busy in other parts of the county closing major roads, including the A350 and A36 which became flooding and blocked by live electrical wires.

The fire service was also on hand to deal with an unsafe building in Maxwell Street, leading to them closing a nearby traffic junction.

A post on social media also showed Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service helping to secure scaffolding planks which had blown loose in the blustery weather.(Image: Newsquest)

As well as roads, businesses and events closed and postponed due to safety concerns around the wind and wet.

One such major event was the Swindon Christmas light switch-on and Old Town Festival, which were moved to the following week.

A Friends of Old Town spokesperson said: “We have no choice but to move the Old Town Christmas Festival 2024 by one week.

"Everything will stay the same but due to the storm, and high winds, we really have no choice.

The events will now happen on Saturday and Sunday, November 30 and December 1.

Other businesses such as Roves Farm shut due to “extreme weather conditions” and flooding, and some Swindonians will have been disappointed by Longleat first cancelling the Festival of Light on Saturday, then closing completely on Sunday due to damage.(Image: Barry Cook)

Fortunately, there have been no reported local injuries from the storm, although there was one close call when a dog walker narrowly escaped a flying sign.

Barry Cook was out with his dog when a large sign for The Boundary House fell just 30 seconds ahead of him.

The Met Office national weather service warned of very strong winds on Sunday which it said was likely to bring disruption to transport.