MOTORISTS were delayed and property damaged after heavy storms swept through Barnet yesterday.

At around midday, with gusts reaching 60mph throughout north west London, in High Barnet police closed Wood Street from High Street to Bells Hill due to tree debris being blown into the path of vehicles.

In Mill Hill, a tree collapsed onto the roof of a house on The Ridgeway before bouncing off and landing in the road. A police spokesman said that the house had been empty at the time and no one had been injured.

At the same time heavy rain flooded Holders Hill roundabout in Mill Hill.

Tree surgeons were called to clear roads and cut back trees to prevent further closures and by around 3.30pm all roads closed by the storms had reopened.

The spokesman said police had dealt with 12 minor car accidents due to the storms and that no one had been seriously hurt.

A five-day forecast by the Met Office does not predict a repeat of today’s storms, although heavy rains are predicted for much of Wednesday and gusts could reach 50mph in the evening.

Barnet today