NEWLYWEDS have thanked those who worked to ensure their big day was not ruined by Storm Arwen.

In a letter to The Forester, Izzy and Dan Wagstaff thanked the people at Holy Trinity Church in Drybrook and the Speech House Hotel who "put in the most tremendous effort to ensure we had a fantastic and memorable day from start to finish."

The celebrations went ahead despite a power cut at the Speech House.

A power cut in Berry Hill meant that the planned rugby fixture against Gordon League had to be called off.

There were reports of people being without power for some nine hours from about 5.30am on Saturday morning.

For much of Saturday afternoon a bright yellow electricity company helicopter could be seen flying low over the Forest, looking for damaged power lines.

Storm Arwen also brought problems to roads in the area with large sections of tree making some roads impassable.

Tree surgeons were called to the Cannop road near Parkend to remove a fallen tree.

There was also a police presence and the road was closed in both directions while the removal work took place.

In Whitecroft, motorists had to take extra care as a tree had blocked the road into the village from the Parkend direction.

The road into Ruardean was also blocked at Turner’s Tump and there were also fallen trees at Tidenham, near Lancaut and on the Chepstow to Coleford road at Hewelsfield.

Forestry England delayed the opening of the Beechenhurst site until 10am on Sunday morning to allow rangers to complete safety checks.