HIGH winds tore up a tree by its roots and closed a major North Yorkshire road, while an accident closed a section of the same road earlier in the day.

Traffic was stopped in both directions on the A64 at Claxton outside York for about an hour when the 30ft silver birch was blown over by the wind and threatened to fall onto the carriageway.

Sub officer Jane Proud, of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "The wind had blown the tree into a precarious position. We worked with the highways department to make it safe and lowered it to the ground so it could be cut up with a chain saw and removed.

"Two other trees were left in a similar position so a tree surgeon was called to attend."

She said there were three or four-mile tailbacks at the time of the incident around 1.30pm.

At around 12.20pm, there were delays on a different part of the A64 at Scagglethorpe when three cars were involved in an accident.

Two people were slightly injured and both lanes of the east bound carriageway were initially closed. One lane was soon opened and the road was clear by the afternoon.