STORM force winds of up to 94mph battered the region yesterday leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Emergency services were swamped with a flood of calls after trees were uprooted, lorries overturned and flying debris hit passers-by.

There was chaos on the roads, with truckers forced to pull over until the high winds subsided.

In North Yorkshire, police reported at least eight lorries were overturned by winds. Drivers also had to pick their way around wreckage from overturned vehicles at Barton, north of Scotch Corner, Burneston, south of Leeming Bar, at Baldersby, east of Ripon, and near the A59 interchange between Boroughbridge and Wetherby.

Lorries were also blown over on the A171 on the North York Moors above Whitby; the A1 in Northumberland, the A189 at Cramlington, Northumberland, the Western bypass in Newcastle, the A19 at Peterlee, County Durham, and the A1 at Bowburn, County Durham.

In Sunderland, a section of Newcastle Road was closed when panels from the sails on Fulwell Mill began blowing off.

Two men, one in his 50s and an 80-year-old, needed hospital treatment after feeling the full force of stormy conditions in separate incidents.

The 80-year-old was blown over in Ripon's Market Square, in North Yorkshire, and was treated at Harrogate District Hospital for injuries to his head and arm, although his condition was not thought to be serious.

The younger man was taken to Wansbeck General Hospital in Ashington, Northumberland, after slate and masonry from the J Forsythe electrical store in Morpeth crashed down on to the pavement.

Geoff Proudlock, owner of the House and Home store opposite, gave the injured man shelter.

The 58-year-old boss, who was sitting in his office when he heard a huge gust and an enormous crack, said parts of the shop front collapsed on to the road.

He said: "There were huge boulders everywhere and one guy was lying in the road. Fortunately, he had stepped on to the road and amazingly missed the brunt of the impact.

"He was shaken, but his injuries seemed minor. Another second earlier and he would have been killed without doubt."

Hundreds of pupils were sent home after windows were shattered at two North-East schools.

None of the youngsters at Billingham Campus School, Billingham, near Stockton, or the 200 pupils from Dunn St Primary School, in Jarrow, South Tyneside, was injured.

Four secondary and two primary schools were closed in Sunderland, with St Leonard's RC Primary, in Silksworth, remaining shut today to allow for repairs to collapsed ceiling panels.

In Darlington, the regular Monday market was cancelled for safety reasons because of the high winds.

Only those stallholders with pitches sheltered by the side of the indoor market were allowed to set up.

Also in Darlington, part of the ring road was closed for an hour yesterday lunchtime after the 3ft protective covering on a street light at the Bondgate roundabout came loose.

Council workers opted to cut the lamp in half using a circular saw, similar to equipment for cutting flagstones, because it was too dangerous to fix from above.

A council spokeswoman said: "A decision was made to close the road and traffic was redirected. If it had been dislodged by the wind it could have flown in any direction."

Ground crews at Newcastle Airport were also forced to shackle a light plane which blew over and had to be righted and wheeled inside a hanger