A 66-year-old had a lucky escape when a large branch fell on her car after remnants of Storm Ophelia brought strong winds to the UK.

Margaret Cooper, a retired analyst from Connah’s Quay, was driving her Ford car long the A5119 in Sychdyn when the accident happened as gale force winds hit the region, with amber weather warnings issued for Wales by the Met Office from noon until 11pm.

The bonnet which took most of the force and was crushed down its centre line.

The car windscreen was also smashed and the incident caused further damage to the roof and rear quarter.

Mrs Cooper said: “I was driving home from New Brighton and had just passed the speed camera [in Sychdyn] when it happened.

“I saw this huge branch come down and make a big bang so I did an emergency stop.

”It made a thunderous noise but that’s because your sitting in a tin can.

“It hit the windscreen and bonnet then bounced back and I’m very lucky it didn’t come through the windscreen.

“There’s not much you can do but I just feel blessed that I’ve not been hurt.

“I’ve been driving for 40-odd years or more and I’ve never had an accident so I feel very privileged to be walking away from this.”

Mrs Cooper told the Leader she had called the police but they said it was “not reportable” as no-one had been injured and “the traffic was still moving”.

Coleg Cambria music students at the Yale Campus in Wrexham also had a close call with strong gusts of winds hitting the region from the Storm Ophelia aftermath.

A large tree came down near the music mobile unit near the college’s library car park but no-one was injured.

The Welsh Ambulance Service was called at about 4.15pm to Chester Road, Wrexham, after a woman was struck by a falling branch.

A rapid response vehicle and an emergency ambulance attended the scene.

Police also closed the A41 road at Backford Cross, between Chester and Ellesmere Port, for a short time allow time for a tree to be removed which had fallen across the road in Hurricane Ophelia high winds.

The road was swiftly reopened at about 4pm.

North Wales Police tweeted: “Our control room [has been] extremely busy – over 60 ‘active’ road disruptions due to the weather. Trees/telegraph police and damaged properties.”

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed they had “received a few calls” but had not attended any incidents.