THE clear-up operation following Storm Eunice is set to continue over the weekend as crews work non-stop to remove fallen trees and debris.

Hampshire is set for an unsettled weekend according to the Met Office, with wind and rain expected to hit the county again this afternoon.

Read more: Live updates as Storm Eunice hits Hampshire

Met Office chief meteorologist Steve Ramsdale said: “Winds will decrease from their exceptionally high levels on Friday, but there’s a continued wet and windy theme for many through the weekend.

“The south will see wet and windy conditions on Saturday.”

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for some parts of Hampshire including Romsey and Southampton, but not Basingstoke.

Hampshire County Council’s (HCC) deputy leader and executive lead member for economy, transport and environment, Cllr Russell Oppenheimer, praised the “valiant” efforts of its highways services, adding: “Particularly as they had to work in such difficult conditions in the full force of Storm Eunice.

"We are very grateful to the frontline staff for their commitment, and on behalf of the county council, I would also like to extend our thanks to the farmers and local community volunteers for their assistance to clear roads and keep Hampshire moving.”

He said the number of reports of issues on the roads was “unprecedented” with more than 1,000 made yesterday, which was double that of a typical day.

By 5pm on Friday, crews had dealt with more than 600 tree related issues across Hampshire.

However, Cllr Oppenheimer warned that the “full picture” is not yet known, adding: “The impact of the very high winds has been felt keenly across the county and highways crews have found that in attending a report of a road blocked by a fallen tree, they often encountered numerous other tree falls on the way, adding extra work and some delay as a result.”

The teams also faced difficulties salting the roads today as temperatures drop.

With the likelihood of some routes being blocked, gritting lorries set out at 10pm last night.

Cllr Oppenheimer said: “Our gritting lorries may not be able to access every section of highway on the salting runs which means there could be some icy conditions in places in the morning. Therefore, motorists are warned that it may not have been possible to spread salt on some roads and so there could be some icy conditions.

“In view of this, and wind speeds remaining high, under an Amber alert from 9pm, the advice remains that people should only travel if absolutely necessary. If a journey is essential and cannot be postponed, people asked to please take extra care and be observant of the weather and road conditions when travelling.”

Priority is being given to keeping the main network clear. Fallen trees on residential roads will be moved but removal of the debris may follow some days later.

To report a fall tree on a road visit https://www.hants.gov.uk/transport/roadmaintenance/roadproblems/treehedge. 

If you see a fallen tree on borough council land call 01256 844844.

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