STIRLING was hit by widespread disruption once again last week as heavy winds battered the region.

The whole of Scotland saw winds of enormous speed and intensity - gusts of over 150mph were reported in several places.

Stirling was not unaffected by this period of extreme weather with road closures, damage to buildings, localised flooding, school closures and businesses shutting up shop early.

The wind peaked at around 90mph in the region causing tress to fall and making roads impassable - commuters using junction nine of the M9 near Bannockburn had to contend with surface water and a burst drain while a large stretch of the A81 near Blanefield Nursing Home was blocked by around a foot of water.

Shortly before noon on Thursday, 8 December, police forces around the country urged members of the public to avoid travelling where possible.

The decision to shut schools at 12.30pm in the area had been taken the evening before after the Met Office had issued a 'Red Alert' .

Refuse collections had to be temporarily suspended in Stirling and residents were instructed to remove their bins from pavements - the Council promised to attempt a collection once the weather had subsided.

Staff at Stirling Bus Station told Stirling News that double-deck vehicles had been taken off the roads and that the motorways were very busy. They also said that trees had fallen in many places and that they couldn't offer much in the way of a timetable, leaving commuters - who had in many cases been sent home early for the day - struggling to find any running transport.

In the city centre, Baker Street had to be closed after the high winds caused a chimney to fall to the ground and smash across the pavement - metres away from parked cars. The street re-opened on Friday after crews from Central Scotland Fire & Rescue had ensured the road was safe once again.

Central Scotland Police were grateful to the public for their assistance during the difficult conditions: "We'd like to thank the people and organisations in the Central Scotland Police area who worked with us yesterday (Wednesday) to help spread information about the weather conditions and road updates.

"Please continue to visit our website, Facebook and Twitter pages for further information." The force also offered advice for locals dealing with the aftermath of a storm: "Do not touch any loose electrical or phone cables that are hanging loose and do not walk too close to buildings and trees that may have been weakened. Be especially careful when clearing tree debris with a chainsaw as power lines may have become entangled."