HAMPSHIRE residents were today counting the cost after winds of up to 106mph battered the south.

Storm Katie ripped across the county bringing down trees, knocking out power and causing flash floods.

Met Office forecasters had issued a severe weather warning for Hampshire for wind and rain.

A gust of 106mph was measured at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, the highest in the country, but along the south coast winds reached between 60 and 80mph.

A deluge of rain saw more than an inch (26mm) – nearly half the month’s average rainfall – fall in Middle Wallop in just 16 hours.

High winds brought down trees across the region including East Park Terrace in Southampton, Petersfield Road in Winchester, Frost Lane in Hythe and the A35 through the New Forest near Hinton Admiral.

A massive 200-year-old oak tree fell in the grounds of Beaulieu Palace House.

There were also power cuts in parts of the Meon Valley and on the Isle of Wight and across the south more than 100,000 homes lost power.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service attended more than 30 callouts overnight including an incident where a tree fell into a house in Portsmouth.

A tree crashed on to the home of Samantha Slack, of Arnheim Road, Lordswood, who lives with her husband and two children – aged five and seven.

The tree came down at 5.40am yesterday and damaged the side of the property and the front of roof.

Her mother, Jenny Asher, said: “There are lots of trees around Samantha’s house and she was worried one would hit the house.

“She stayed up all night worried and then accidentally nodded off – that’s when the tree hit the house.

“She is pretty shaken because it could have been much worse, but thankfully it was not.

“The council came out straight away and cut the tree up and moved it. They were very helpful.”

Those travelling back from breaks across the country were advised to be careful on the roads and if possible to delay their journeys until in the day.

Highways England had issued an amber warning for some of Hampshire’s roads that could be particularly affected by gusts of wind – including the M27 between Hedge End and Locks Heath.

It advised high-sided vehicles, caravans, motorbikes and other vulnerable vehicles, to take extra care due to the increased risk that vehicles could be blown over.

On the railway passengers faced major disruption after a tree fell on the line blocking services between Brockenhurst and Bournemouth.

Red Funnel Ferries suspended its vehicle ferry from Southampton to Cowes for more than eight hours due to conditions, followed by its Red Jet service, and delays continued for several hours later.

A lifeboat crew was called into action to rescue a yacht stranded in the Solent in the early hours as the storm took hold.

They had to battle strong seas to tow the boat and its two occupants to safety.

The Tigress raised the alarm to the coastguard after it suffered engine failure in the area of Ryde Middle and Cowes lifeboat was called in to help.

The coastguard also dealt with a number of boats that came loose from their moorings in the bad weather.

They were called out when three yachts from Portchester Sailing Club got adrift and ended up being smashed onto the shoreline between Portchester and Port Solent.

One of the boats was badly damaged.

Southern Electric Power Distribution (SEPD) operated at a yellow alert for most of the day after the storm caused major damage.

It said engineering teams were sent to key locations before the storm began and that good progress was made by last night to reconnect overhead lines brought down by debris.

Members of the public were urged not to approach fallen or damaged power lines, as they could still be live.