Strong winds tear away flat's roof

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Motorists and homeowners alike have been disrupted by the Scottish weather after strong winds ripped the roof off a block of flats in the early hours of Friday morning.

One family was removed from the residential block near Perth's city centre after "a fairly significant portion" of the roof was torn away at about half past midnight.

Drivers were diverted away from Tay Street between Marshall Place and Canal Street, and police expect the road to remain closed.

"Quite significant traffic disruption will continue in the city centre. Diversions are in place," said a Tayside Police spokesman.

"The roof was ripped off quite a modern block of flats and damaged a number of cars. No one was injured. There were very strong winds at the time."

Tony Conlan, a forecaster for MeteoGroup, the weather arm of the Press Association, said: "It was certainly quite a windy night across Scotland, particularly in northern areas. The highest wind speed was 59mph in Scotland at 5am at South Uist in the Outer Hebrides.

In Perthshire the wind speed at 1am reached 45mph and at 2am it was 51mph.

The strongest winds today (Friday) will be in northern areas reaching 70mph in exposed areas but probably reaching 50mph in other parts."

Copyright © Press Association 2010

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