THE weather claimed a high profile scalp today as heavy rain and winds battered Gwent.

Cwmbran Big Event, which was due to take place tomorrow, was cancelled after rain poured on Gwent throughout the day.

The heavy rain meant the site became too sodden for the set-up needed for the big event, so Torfaen council was forced to postpone it to a later date.

The opening of the Llanyrafon Manor will take place as scheduled at midday.

Throughout today, between one and two inches of rain fell in low-lying areas of Gwent, with some places in the Valleys getting just over three inches of rain in 24 hours.

Caerleon Golf Club fell victim to the weather as it was forced to close its course and riving range due to heavy flooding.

In Trinity View, Caerleon, couple Mark and Margaret Thom had a lucky escape when a 50ft willow tree fell into their garden, narrowly missing out on smashing through their conservatory.

Mr Thom, 77, said it fell at around 11pm last night as his wife, 71, watched television and he was asleep in bed.

"It was quite dramatic," he added.

However, the weekend looks a better prospect with the heavy showers expecting to die out by tomorrow and replaced with cloud and the odd spot of rain.

Sunday is expected to be cloudy with more rain, but not to the extent seen today.

Temperatures over the weekend are not expected to get above 17 degrees Celsius.

The Environment Agency said there is a low risk of flooding in Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Monmouthshire and Newport tomorrow.

Environment Agency Wales asked people to stay alert for possible localised flooding and have asked drivers to take care on the roads as conditions will be poor.

* Spare a thought for this intrepid bunch of charity walkers.

Ten men have spent the past seven days, many of them sodden, walking from Prestatyn, Denbigshire, to Newport in eight days.

The team, dubbed 22nd Adventure, arrived in the city toda).

Gordon Pitman, 49, from the Gaer, Davy Rogers, 27, from Cwmcarn, Stacey Price, 34, from Bettws, Russell Pitman, 45, from Duffryn, John Williams, 47, from Malpas, Adrian Davies, 40, from Lliswerry, Phil Davies, 44, from Duffryn, David 'Spud' Cueto, 49, from Pill and Andy Leigh, from Birmingham, are raising money for Parkinson's UK and the Huntington's Disease Association.

Those charities were chosen as Mr Pitman lost his father Gordon Pitman to the disease.

The men walked for up to 12 hours a day and the weather was not kind to them over the past few days.

Mr Pitman said: "Some days, it was raining through your clothes and out through your trainers. It's been brilliant, I can't say enough about the boys"