TORRENTIAL rain and 90mph winds brought chaos to south Wiltshire as falling trees smashed through power lines and blocked roads.

Emergency services were flat out coping with the worst weather the area has seen since the storms of 1987. Two inches of rain fell between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, and river levels were reported to be high on the Nadder, Wylye and Avon.

More than 400 trees were down across Wiltshire and 36 schools were closed. Many commuters driving into Salisbury on Monday morning found their journey times more than doubled as workmen battled to clear the debris. Rail passengers also faced delays and cancellations and power cuts left dozens of homes without light and heat.

A spokesman for Wiltshire Ambulance Service said the weather had not caused a significant increase in workload, but the problem had been getting around. "With so many roads flooded and blocked by trees, it is taking us twice as long to get around," he said.