THE Christmas Eve storm took its toll on villages around Whitehill and Bordon, with roads closed and households left without electricity over the festive period after power lines were damaged by flooding, fallen trees and flying debris.

The rain and storm-force winds which battered the South East in the early hours of last Tuesday, Christmas Eve, brought misery for the thousands left without light and heat; made travel perilous, and damaged properties at a time when, traditionally, the country grinds to a celebratory standstill.

Although most Whitehill and Bordon residents woke up on Christmas Eve to a normal electricity supply, 130,000 homes across Hampshire were affected by blackouts.

For full story, see this week's Bordon Herald.