WINDS of up to 56mph battered Suffolk and Essex over the weekend – the second-strongest gusts recorded in 2012.

The tempestuous conditions left dozens of trees down, with many roads blocked across the region, and experts have warned of more inclement conditions on the way.

Drivers had to navigate fallen trees in Horringer and Waldringfield but there were no major accidents or problems to report.

A Suffolk police spokesman said the control room was busy with calls reporting fallen trees and blocked roads over Saturday night and into Sunday morning. “We have had lots of trees down all over the county but no major routes were blocked and no-one was injured.”

Forecaster Dan Holley, of Norwich-based experts Weatherquest, said the strong winds over the weekend had been caused by a front that has now headed across the North Sea.

But he warned the weather front and the wind and rain that had caused havoc in the south-west of the country would be arriving in Suffolk and Essex over the next 24 hours, although it would not have anywhere near the same impact.

He said: “The strongest wind in our area was in Norfolk but at Wattisham [Airfield] we recorded 56mph – probably the second windiest spell of the year after January 5. The low that was responsible for the weekend weather is now off in the North Sea and we had a nice clearance on Sunday morning, but there’s more heavy rain coming.

“We will see more through to Monday and in the afternoon it should brighten up, but there will be a few heavy showers, especially across the coastal areas.”