More than 30 trees ripped out across Portsmouth and 68 other issues reported during Storm Eunice and Franklin over the weekend

Portsmouth City Council recorded 36 trees blown over, as well as 17 fences, walls and hoardings torn down and seven lamp posts damaged or knocked over as gusts of up to 70mph hit the area.

And Wingfield Street in Buckland was closed over the weekend to allow for repairs to the exterior of retirement apartment Nickleby House after some cladding panels came off during high winds. The road is expected to re-open later today.

Between Friday (Feb 18) and Monday morning contractors Colas received 111 calls from residents regarding storm damage.

These included: 51 tree-related calls, 17 fences/wall and hoardings down, seven signs blown off or hanging, seven lamp columns blown down or damaged, two flooding reports, 10 incidents of roof/tiles/slates blown off and 17 miscellaneous problems.

Of the tree-related calls, 36 were for trees blown down, six were for branches down and nine were trees reported as unsafe. All 36 trees will be replaced by Colas.

Ray Muscat, business manager at Colas, said: ‘This is one of the worst storms we have experienced since the contract began in 2004.

‘Damage has been widespread and, in some cases, extensive, causing a lot of disruption for the residents of Portsmouth.

‘Colas attended to every call received and made safe or removed the danger being caused. Our teams worked extremely hard during these very difficult conditions and I would like to thank everyone involved for their cooperation and support.’

Transport boss at the council, Councillor Lynne Stagg, agreed. ‘The response from the many key workers across the city was outstanding and their hard work during the recent extreme weather was invaluable,’ she said.

SEE ALSO: 13 photos that show the scale of Storm Eunice across Hampshire

‘Thank you to everyone in Portsmouth who followed the advice and stayed in their homes where possible.’

Despite concerns about the area of shoreline by the Beach Club in Southsea, the council has said the storms caused no damage.

In preparation the Southsea Costal Scheme built a temporary rock and shingle defence in that spot.

And across the Hampshire County Council area it is thought ‘several hundred’ trees were damaged in the storms.

Overall, Hampshire’s highways team received 2,500 reports of storm related issues, which included 1,200 tree and vegetation reports, and 33 street lights were damaged.

Cllr Russell Oppenheimer, Hampshire’s highways chief, said: ‘The efforts of our highways service have been superb, particularly as they have had to work in very testing conditions.

‘The damage across Hampshire is significant and the recovery operation from the back-to-back storms is likely to take some weeks. Our teams continue to work around-the-clock to clear debris removed from the county’s road network and carry out essential repairs to our roads and footpaths.’

The county council is predicting a ‘six-figure sum’ will be needed for the whole clean-up process.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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