40mph gusts blow tree onto milk float

Gusts toppled a tree onto a milk float in the West Midlands today, with the region expected to be battered by wet and windy weather for the rest of the week.

Up to 40mph winds were recorded overnight.

A two-ton tree in Finchfield Hill, Wolverhampton, was uprooted at around 6.30am today, crashing onto the roof of a milk float and smashing its windscreen. Firefighters from Merridale Street and police officers were called to deal with the aftermath. The driver of the van escaped unhurt.

Finchfield Hill was closed at its junction with Compton Road West while the scene was cleared and was expected to reopen later this morning.

Tree surgeons from the council cleared the fallen tree away.

The Met Office warned the unsettled conditions would continue for much of today and tomorrow. Rain and wind will subside briefly on Wednesday before returning to the region on Thursday.

Spokesman Dave Britton said: "Gusts of around 40mph were recorded in the Midlands overnight and this morning and there was some heavy rain associated with that. Between 15 and 20 millimetres has fallen since 3am today.

"It's going to stay quite breezy and the rain will remain much of today, clearing in this evening's rush hour.

"It will be a slightly better day tomorrow and the best day of the week will be Wednesday, when we can expect more bright spells.

"There will be a return to more unsettled conditions come Thursday."

Gusts of up to 70mph are expected this week.