Your pictures - Fierce winds of Storm Darragh brings chaos, damage and power cuts to Banburyshire

Emergency services, highways workers and tree surgeons were hard-pressed to manage the influx of reports of trees falling onto roads and electricity wires as well as flooding, as the storm raged through north Oxfordshire and south Northants.

Frank Wise School, Banbury was closed today (Monday) after the roof was damaged by winds. It is expected to reopen tomorrow. Banbury’s Lantern Parade was cancelled on safety grounds.

Across the district trees and branches fell over lanes and roads making driving dangerous. Many residents heeded advice to stay at home.

A large evergreen in People’s Park came down exposing its damaged root system.

In Sandford Green, Banbury a van was crushed by a falling tree. In Beechfield Crescent a tree fell across the roadway onto a parked car.

A tree fell on the Oxford Road near the Sainsbury crossroads narrowly missing passing cars. A tree came down between Westbury and Shalstone blocking the A422 and pensioners in Lavender Close bungalows, Banbury appealed for help on social media when a tree fell in their road. A tree was also reported across the road on the Overthorpe Road between Banbury and King’s Sutton.

Near Deddington two vehicles had to be towed off a verge, made muddy by people trying to avoid a fallen tree.

A tree fell into the B4035 blocking half of the road between Banbury and Broughton. And a tree came down on the Oxford Road, Banbury near the flyover.

One fell in Wroxton and is believed to have caused the power cut that meant residents of a wide area around were left without power from 6pm on Saturday until 9pm on Sunday evening. Without gas in the villages, many were left without heating, lighting, internet or the ability to cook meals.

On the A44 near Chipping Norton, a bus carrying passengers and a family in their car car came very close to being hit by a large tree that fell across the road. Emergency services were quickly on the scene and escorted the passengers to safety.

And in the town, at Banbury Road Crossing, a falling tree brought down a live electricity cable.

Deputy Mayor, Steve Akers said: “We are very fortunate indeed that no one was killed or seriously injured in these two incidents.

“On the A44, a police officer from Banbury remained on site and the road was closed into the evening until tree surgeons contracted by OCC Highways arrived to clear the tree so the road could be reopened.

“At Banbury Road Crossing a tree and mains power cable were brought down causing a substantial explosion. The live electric cable lay straddled across the road.

"I went along to support local residents who had zoned off the road using cones from the nearby building site. I obtained fire service warning tape from Chippy Fire Station and zoned off the whole area.”

Travellers between Chipping Warden to Banbury and M40 continued to be confused by the A361 closure. Country lanes have been besieged by inappropriate traffic including lorries.

An emergency ambulance was stuck in traffic for an hour on the narrow lane at Appletree, where the road was flooded in two places.