HEAVY rain and lashing winds of up to 70mph have left fallen trees blocking roads and threats of flooding in Dorset and Hampshire.

Debris on the roads made driving hazardous in many areas, with motorists warned to take extreme care.

And the Environment Agency issued a flood warning for the Christchurch harbour area, alerting householders and businesses to the risk of rising water.

In Swanage, two trees crashed on to a car in Ulwell Road on the outskirts of the town heading towards Studland.

The second tree fell while a man was calling police on his mobile to report the first tree being blown down on to his brother's Volkswagen Golf.

No one was injured in the incident which happened at around 11.20am on November 3 but there was damage to the car and the road was blocked off.

Local authority workers with chainsaws had to be called in to cut up the trees and clear the site.

Two vans were swept out to sea at the harbour in Lyme Regis, yesterday morning at around 8.15pm.

Luckily, the vehicles were empty at the time and no-one was hurt but fire crews had to wait until the tide subsided before the vans could be recovered.

Staff at the Bistro on the Beach reported the biggest waves in 10 years battering the restaurant on the seafront at Southbourne.

One employee told the Daily Echo: "The waves have been crashing over the front and bashing against the windows.

"The place is covered with seaweed.

"I got out of my car in the car park at the top of the cliff and I couldn't stand up, the wind was so bad.

"I fought my way down to the restaurant with the spray lashing in my face, and by the time I got down there, I was soaked."

Poole's weekly town-centre street and farmers' market had to be called off yesterday due to the strong winds, which also saw two trees blown down in the town.

Dorset Police were called at shortly after 11.30pm to Lilliput Road in Canford Cliffs, just past Compton Avenue, where a large tree had blown down, blocking the road and taking down a BT cable.

A second call was received by the police in the early hours of yesterday about a tree in Ashington Lane, Merley which had blown down and was blocking a narrow road.

Staff at St Ives First School had to call off a firework display due to the high winds, and the event is due to take place on Monday.

First published: November 4, 2005