COP 26: clear up continues after strong winds hit Northamptonshire

Watch a report by Stuart Leithes.

As the talking gets underway at the COP26 Climate Change conference - what will it mean for the east?

The region's already leading the way with the likes of wind power and solar farms, but opening the conference Sir David Attenborough, The Prince of Wales and the Prime Minister all made it clear much more has to change.

The threat of more frequent and severe weather events due to Climate Change was brought into sharp focus across the region over the weekend.

Strong winds hit parts of Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire uprooting trees, ripping down fence panels and even lifting off the roof of a gym in Wellingborough. Stuart Leithes reports.

Shocking video captured by a driving instructor in Northamptonshire shows the true impact of the weather which hit Northamptonshire yesterday, just 24 hours before the start of the COP 26 summit in Glasgow.

Sharon Carter who runs Meadow Driving School in the town took the video while out on a lesson with a pupil during the inclement weather.

She said: "we had stopped because there was a long piece of wood coming towards us in the road. If we had kept moving, I think the fence panel would have hit us."

Trees fell onto roads, fence panels were dislodged and damage was caused to overhead cables on train lines, leaving people in the county to clear up the damage.

Some people in Northamptonshire said they saw what looked like a ‘mini tornado’ sweeping through streets.

• Get the latest forecast: ITV Weather Forecast for the East of England

Princess Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, said the park at the family estate the siblings grew up in was 'badly hit' by the storm.

Trees were toppled at Grade I listed Althorp House's ground - but no animals were hurt in the storm he described as like a 'tornado.'

Anyone who was travelling to the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow from London on the train may have experienced delays, with damage to overhead wires at Peterborough. Passengers were advised not to travel. 

The train line serves as a major route for people travelling to Scotland. Network Rail are also working to remove tree branches on tracks.