THURROCK Council workers put in a huge shift through the height of last night's storm that left a wake of uprooted trees and damage in its wake.

As reported last night on Thurrock Nub News Storm Henk drove through the borough from mid afternoon yesterday (Tuesday, 2 January) when council workers and emergency teams were pushed to the limit.

The storm led to some infrastructure and vehicles being damaged and caused traffic disruptions due to road closures and blockages.

Police and firefighters were involved in a number of incidents but much of the clean-up and damage restriction work was carried out by council teams who attended more than 20 incidents yesterday and more today.

The council's out-of-hours team, arboriculture contractors, grounds maintenance and parks team were all deployed. 

One of the more significant incidents was a tree resting on a property at Second Avenue, West Thurrock. 

Emergency teams attended and the cleared fallen debris that was obstructing access to the property, which was left safe.

Council arboriculture contractors have been on site this morning, using a lifting crane to remove the tree from the property and to cut it safely. 

Another major tree fall was on Ward Avenue in Garys where the road was blocked and cables brought down by a large fallen tree.

Ward councillor John Kent was on the scene and has thanked all those involved in dealing with the incident quickly.

"It is at times like this when we see the best of the council," he said. "My heartfelt thanks to all those who responded to this and other incident and did such a great job. And to the support teams who answered calls and deployed staff through the night, I know from the senior managers to the 'shop floor' everyone was doing their best and I am incredibly appreciative of their efforts to help keep our residents safe."

The following call outs were made last night: 

• The Hall, Aveley Hall Farm, Ship Lane, Aveley - Tree down. 
• Cabborns Crescent, Stanford-le-Hope - Tree down on top of two cars. 
• Walton's Hall Road, Linford Junction - Large tree blocking road. 
• Southhill Road, Hordon on the Hill - Three trees down. 
• Old A13 between fire station and traffic lights going towards Stanford-le-Hope - Tree down. 
• Second Avenue, Grays - Tree blocking drive. 
• Walton's Hall Road and Butts Lane, Stanford-le-Hope – Six to seven trees down. 
• Carnach Green, South Ockendon - Tree on top of cars/cable wires down. 
• Low Street, West Tilbury 
• Aveley Medical Centre, High St, Aveley - Tree on top of car. 
• Horndon House, Horndon Road, Horndon on the Hill - Large tree on cables. 
• Chadwell Hill /Linford Road, Chadwell St Mary - Bushes/tree on road. 
• Recreation Avenue, Stanford-le-Hope - Tree down across road. 
• Long Lane/Victoria Avenue, Grays - Tree down in road. 
• Stifford Clays Road - Tree down partially blocking road. 
• Ward Avenue, Grays Tree fallen and cables down
• Pump Street, Horndon on the Hill - Tree down
• A128, Brentwood Road, Chadwell St Mary - Tree down
• Errington Close, Chadwell St Mary - Tree down 
• One Tree Hill, Fobbing - Tree down

Fourteen further call-outs were responded to across the borough this morning as the clean-up continued.

A couple of the incidents were in the Stanford West ward, where local councillor Neil Speight said: "More often than not as a councillor I find myself having to hold the council to account for failings. Last night and today I am absolutely duty-bound and pleased to have to do the opposite.

"My heartfelt thanks to all the council staff and contractors who were out and about – some of them putting themselves seriously in harm's way.

"It's easy to mean but we should also pay tribute when the council was at its best and it has been in the past 24 hours.

"And our firefighters and police also did a great job. I happened upon a couple of police officers manfully trying to make a big road sign safe at the Orsett Cock roundabout. No -one shirked responsibility and it was a great effort all round."