SEVEN trees are down across part of Leigh as strong winds are battering Essex with a yellow weather warning issued today.

The trees are down across the Belfairs ward, with two trees down in Woodside and another two in Belfairs Park Drive.

The other trees have fallen in Briarwood Drive, Bonchurch Park, and Mountain Ash Avenue.

This comes after the Met Office issued a yellow warning across all of the county this morning, with the alert in place all through today until 10pm tonight.

It has warned of strong winds which "may cause some disruption through Monday".

Echo: One of the trees down in WoodsideOne of the trees down in Woodside (Image: Newsquest)

A tree which had fallen across Shopland Road, in Rochford, had also been reported to Essex Highways earlier this afternoon and another was seen near Station Road, in Thorpe Bay.

Elsewhere in south Essex, a tree on the c2c railway in Ockendon caused disruption for three hours with trains diverted and passengers conveyed on London buses.

Issuing the weather warning this morning, a spokesman for the Met Office said: "A depression will move east just to the north of Scotland through Monday and will bring a swath of strong winds to Northern Ireland, Wales and much of England.

"Gusts of between 40 and 45 mph are expected widely inland with isolated gusts as high as 50 to 55 mph on exposed coasts and near to heavier showers.

"This is likely to lead to some disruption and longer journey times.

"Winds will slowly ease through the evening and first part of Monday night."