A WEEKEND of high winds and torrential rain caused flooding incidents and tree falls across the West Devon area.

More than 240 calls for help reached staff in Devon County Council?s Emergency Control Room throughout Saturday and Sunday, 21 of which were from the Okehampton and Tavistock areas.

The stormy weekend caused over 100 tree falls across Devon, along with four landslides and 80 flooding incidents.

Fifty staff from the county council and South West Highways were drafted in and fire crews dealt with incidents of cars getting stuck in flood water and flooding risks to properties.

Fallen branches and trees were reported in Tavistock, Gunnislake, Jacobstowe, Exbourne and Okehampton and there was flooding at Brentor and Newland Mill in North Tawton.

Fire crews from Okehampton and North Tawton attended Newland Mill, where water was threatening to flood two properties and causing problems on the road.

Firefighters used booms and a portable pump to prevent water entering the homes until the river levels dropped. The road was closed for three hours.

Elsewhere in North Tawton, the flood alleviation scheme which was installed by West Devon Borough Council following massive property damage by flooding over a number of years, seemed to be working well, said the town?s fire station officer Twiggy Lake.

Two people were trapped in a car which had got stuck in flood water at Glendon Cross at Okehampton on Sunday. A fire crew from Okehampton managed to push the car out of the water and bring the occupants to safety.

They also attended an incident at Moretonhampstead where a roof had blown off a farm building.

Further heavy rain and south-westerly winds are predicted until this weekend when it will once again turn cold.

Devon County Council control room officer Chris Cranston said: ?There is still a great deal of surface water with debris on many roads. Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians are asked to take particular care, especially on minor roads.

?It was a very busy weekend for all our staff, who did a magnificent job. But more similar weather is forecast and people still need to be cautious.?