GUSTS of up to 50mph wrought havoc across East Cambridgeshire on Thursday as road and rail services were brought to a standstill.

Trains running between Littleport, Ely and Kings Cross were delayed by more than an hour after a pantograph, a device that links the train to the overhead cables, was blow off of a train shortly before 7am, smashing into the side of a carriage.

The passengers were disembarked and the power shut off while engineers worked to restore operation to the train. The ambulance service was also called to the scene to treat two passengers for minor injuries.

Meanwhile, a tree fell on the Ely to Norwich line at Thetford causing delays of up to 45 minutes while engineers worked to remove the obstruction.

On the roads, there was a blockage on Camel Road in Littleport after a tree was blown over in the early hours of the morning. The police were quickly on scene to remove the obstruction however, and the road was reopened again before 3am.

In Upware, a road was closed for two hours while Environment Agency teams were called in to remove a tree that had fallen onto Upware Road, blocking it to traffic.

Fire crews were also kept busy as an electricity cable was brought down on Twentypence Road, near Wilburton. Fire-fighters from nearby Cottenham were called to The Lakes at 10.35pm following reports that a cable had been blown down and was shooting electricity into the ground.

Crews stood by to ensure that no one was injured and waited for the arrival of the electricity board to isolate the electrics.

Ryan Stacey, group commander for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “The strong winds experienced at the moment can cause lots of

issues such as trees, electricty pylons and fences blowing down.

“We would urge people to respect the damage that the wind can cause and not to put themselves in unnecessary danger.”

Has your house been damaged by the winds? Let us know and send in your pictures to daniel.mansfield@archant.co.uk