IT has been a day of weather chaos in South East Cornwall.

The area and the wider region has taken a battering from, first, heavy rain and then, throughout the day, severe gales.

Liskeard Police said wind speeds of 80mph had been recorded on Bodmin Moor.

Fallen trees caused chaos throughout the area, with highways workers fighting to tackle a huge backlog.

The A38 in the Glynn Valley was closed in both directions between Dobwalls and Carminow Cross because of fallen trees.

Trees also blocked, or partially blocked, the B3254 Liskeard to Launceston road at Upton Cross, Talland Hill at Polperro and the A374 between Antony and Sheviock among many other routes.

A lorry driver was taken to hospital after his lorry was blown over on the A30 near Bodmin. In Newquay, the roof was torn off a superstore.

In Callington, firefighters helped a disabled resident whose home was threatened by a toppling tree. They made the area in Chequetts Close as safe as they could.

Firefighters from Liskeard and Launceston helped ensure public safety in several areas where power cables had fallen and were arcing.

More than 4,000 homes in Cornwall were without power at one stage this morning while Western Power crews worked in appalling conditions to restore supplies.

By 5pm more than 700 homes were still without power. Western Power said it was hoping to restore services to homes in the Liskeard PL14 area by 9pm.

The National Trust closed access to its property at Lanhydrock because of the gales, and South West Lakes Trust closed paths around Siblyback Reservoir.

The Tamar Bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles for large parts of the day, and delays of more than an hour for traffic heading into Cornwall built by the evening rush hour.