STRONG winds battered Gwent and much of the UK last night causing problems on the roads.
The Met Office recorded top wind speeds of 55mph in Newport at 1am on Monday night while across the country winds as high as 65-70 mph battered exposed locations including parts of North Wales, the Bristol Channel and East Anglia.
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning of strong winds for Newport and much of Wales today.
They have said the wind will become north westerly by this morning, and although easing for a time, it will become very gusty through the day, particularly near showers.
Chaos was also caused on the roads as high winds forced the M48 Severn Bridge to close in both directions during rush hour traffic.
Structures also became dangerous as winds struck with the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service called to secure a dangerous structure in Mountain Ash overnight.
A tree in Doyle Avenue in Fairwater, Cwmbran was also uprooted by the gale force, falling at 12.52am.
A tree on the line led to delays between Exeter St Davids in Devon and Taunton in Somerset, while another fallen tree meant hold-ups between Salisbury in Wiltshire and Romsey in Hampshire.
A tree on the line also caused delays to trains between Aylesbury and London.
While Underwood residents in Newport reported a trampoline 'bouncing' about in the wind in a neighbouring garden at 01.26am. Western Power reported that 1,500 customers.  In Abergavenny and Chepstow were without power due to problems caused by fallen branches and trees on power lines.  A spokeswoman from Western Power confirmed that all customers are now back on supply with problems resolved by 8am.
The high winds also led to trains running at reduced speed in North West England, with delays of up to an hour in the Warrington Bank Quay/Oxenholme Lake District area and in the Carnforth area.