Hotels across South Lakeland have been left counting the cost of the weekend's severe weather as high winds flattened electricity pylons and trees, causing tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Many hotels, particularly in the Windermere and Ambleside area, suffered heavily and in many cases were forced to send away customers and close up because of power cuts and serious damage.

The Low Wood Hotel, near Ambleside, suffered an estimated loss of £100,000 in damage and custom.

Tim Berry, buildings director of the English Lakes Hotels chain which includes the Low Wood, told the Gazette 122 separate holes were located in the roof, forcing the closure of the front of the hotel to allow for repair work.

Damage was also caused to the hotel's jetty while several trees in the grounds were felled by the strong winds, although there was not disruption to the electricity supply.

He said the Waterhead Hotel, in Ambleside, was forced to close for one night after losing electricity, which was later restored on Saturday afternoon.

Another English Lakes Hotel, The Wild Boar at Crook, braved the weather but became a refuge for some residents of Bowness and Cartmel Fell who had lost power at home.

Mr Berry confessed: "I have been at the company since 1981 and I have never seen anything like this."

Miller Howe, in Windermere, had to turn away customers after the chances of power being returned quickly faded, although ten customers who had travelled from London who did not want to battle the elements remained and ate a restricted menu, said hotel manager Nigel Williamson.

He added that staff also had to negotiate a tree that had fallen and blocked the entrance to the hotel, which lost "thousands of pounds" because of the weather.

Hotels and pubs in wind-battered Milnthorpe became a haven for residents who had suffered power cuts.

Margaret Walters, landlady at the Bulls Head, said few people who dropped into the pub on Saturday had escaped damage because of the winds.

The Lonsdale House Hotel also accepted customers from other hotels in the Lake District, who had had to leave because of power cuts.

Meanwhile, some businesses in South Lakeland had a frantic weekend, with demand for their specialist services extremely high.

Jim Bracken, of Bracken's Roofing and Building Company Ltd, said the company received 325 calls over the weekend 125 of which were on Saturday to homes in various locations including Kendal, Milnthorpe, Windermere and Holme.

"I was out from sunrise to sunset on Saturday and Sunday and there are eight or nine of us working non stop," he said.

The company also had to contend with flooding at its base in Lake District Business Park.

Ulverston-based Cumbria Roofing Ltd also had a busy week, receiving at least 100 calls, said worker Chris Lowe.

"Our priority has been to get roofs safe, even if that has meant temporary repairs at first, and we have been working non stop," he said.

John Marsden, general store manager at Focus in Kendal, said fencing panels, fencing post cement mix and roofing felt disappeared from the shelves in a matter of hours on Saturday as homeowners repaired damage to their properties.