Storm winds batter Britain
Updated on 14 November 2009
Parts of Britain are battered by winds of up to 100 miles an hour, as a storm moves across the south coast of England.
Southern and eastern England and Wales bore the brunt of the storm. Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight were worst affected.
The port of Dover had to be closed because of the heavy winds and some flights out of Heathrow were cancelled.
The harsh conditions also affected Halifax and Bank of Scotland customers, who were unable to withdraw money from cash machines after a power failure.
In Dorset five people, including a pregnant woman and two small children, fled their car when it was enveloped by floodwater at Whitchurch Canonicorum, near Bridport.
In Haverfordwest, south west Wales, 12 people were rescued from a coach trapped in floodwaters.
Heavy rain has already led to coastal flooding, and Daniel Adamson, a forecaster with MeteoGroup UK, said more can be expected across southern England and Wales.
The rain and winds are expected to ease tomorrow before giving us another battering on Monday, posing the risk of disruption to the return to work after the weekend, forecasters said.
Stephen Davenport, also of MeteoGroup UK, said: "This is the strongest storm we have had this year but it is just an autumnal storm, not untypical for this time of year."
The storm developed off the west coast and was fed by the still-warm autumn sea temperatures, he said. The wild weather has already caused disruption in some areas of the country.
Passengers faced delays and cancellations after the heavy rain caused rocks to slide on to rail tracks, closing a busy line in the Chepstow area of south east Wales.
Services running between Newport and Gloucester were affected, along with cross-country trains between Nottingham and Cardiff with buses replacing trains.
In Sussex, workers stranded by flood water in four units on the Burrell Road industrial estate, in Haywards Heath, were rescued by boats.
A West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "There has been a hell of a lot of water, amounting to about two foot in total."
He added the service had dealt with nearly 40 weather related calls in the Haywards Heath area alone, with residents reporting flooding to properties and breached culverts amid heavy rain.
Firefighters were also called out after a tree was brought down on power lines and caught alight. In Wales, Pembrokeshire was the hardest hit with widespread flooding of the county's road network trapping people in their cars.
Firefighters using a boat and a Land Rover rescued a woman stranded by floodwater in the Rosemarket, at Milford Haven.
Floods in Tenby affected roads around the resort, blocking cars and trapping people inside them. A total of 14 people were rescued from vehicles in and around the town with five people alone trapped at Gumfreston.
Some cross-Channel sailings were disrupted due to the rough seas and winds gusting up to force 10, the Port of Dover said.
SeaFrance crossings from Dover to Calais and LD Lines services to Boulogne were subject to some delays. A Port of Dover spokesman warned passengers to expect disruptions. Many parts of Cornwall, including Padstow harbour, were also hit, the fire service said.
Brittany Ferries cancelled sailings from Plymouth to Roscoff and Poole to Cherbourg because of the severe weather. A severe flood warning in place earlier for Christchurch Harbour in Dorset was lifted overnight, but more than 30 flood warnings across much of southern England and Wales were in place, the Environment Agency said.
High tides, strong winds and tall waves meant there was a risk of sea flooding in Hampshire, West Sussex, Dorset and South Wales, the agency said.
Toby Willison, the agency's southern regional director, said: "With more stormy weather on the way, our teams will continue to work hard to make sure we are prepared.
"People should be aware that there will be a lot of water around, avoid trying to drive or walk through any flooding and be sensible out and about the coast."
The AA urged drivers to take extra care on the roads in the difficult conditions and said dedicated Land Rovers would be on patrol in the worst-hit areas to help drivers stuck in flood water.
AA driving expert Mark Peacock said: "Torrential rain and standing water will expose drivers to the dual hazards of poor visibility and possible aquaplaning - add to this sudden wind gusts and conditions will be quite challenging in some areas. Even experienced drivers can be caught out, so it's important to drive more cautiously and allow extra time for your journey."
Two of our readers have sent in their pictures of the storm.
