EAST Lancashire was battered by gale force winds last night as the UK started summer with an unseasonably windy spell.

Many East Lancashire residents woke up to scattered bins and several areas suffered damage throughout the evening.

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A tree was uprooted in Castle Road in Colne narrowly missing a parked car and falling close to a house leaving the occupants unable to access their front door.

More trees were felled in Aberdeen Drive in Blackburn and Mayfield Gardens in Oswaldtwistle.

Branches were strewn across Nelson town centre.

Gusts as strong as 78mph were recorded across the country with many areas drenched in heavy rain.

John Griffiths, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, said wind and heavy rain came in from the west and there had been strong winds, particularly in exposed areas. A gale of 49mph had been blowing in Capel Curig, north Wales - with a gust recorded there of 78mph at 8pm.

Conditions will gradually improve through the rest of the week, with temperatures moving up into the low 70s Fahrenheit - and a chance of thunderstorms on Friday.