Clear-up after gales hit Scotland

Olivia Yule and Claudia Bruce with a tree blown over in Balerno Your pictures: weekend weather

A series of clear-up operations is getting under way in parts of Scotland hit by severe winds and torrential rain over the weekend.

Surface water and fallen trees caused problems on roads, with bridges closed to high-sided vehicles.

There were also delays and cancellations to ferry crossings.

A child and seven adults were rescued from cars stuck in flood water in Ayrshire, while the Western Isles were hit by winds of up to 77mph.

One elderly man had to be taken to hospital after the incident in Sandyford, Ayrshire, in which 30 cars were stranded.

In Caldercruix, in Lanarkshire, a disabled man and a woman were rescued by firefighters after getting stranded in a vehicle in flood waters.

From Sunday there will be much colder weather coming along Matthew Dobson Meteogroup

Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary had issued a warning to motorists of standing water, making driving conditions on Saturday "extremely hazardous".

Falling masonry caused by high winds on Aberdeen's Guild Street left one person injured, Grampian Fire and Rescue Service said.

Residents of the Maragowan Caravan Park in Killin, Perthshire had to be evacuated from the site and an 80-year-old woman had to be removed from her flooded home in Glendevon.

Restrictions had also been put in place on the Tay and Forth bridges.

Forecasters said that the rain would turn to sleet and snow in the coming days.

Matthew Dobson, of Meteogroup, said: "From Sunday there will be much colder weather coming along.

"There will be a complete change in fortunes, with the potential for sleet and snow showers across Scotland from Monday onwards, especially in the north."