Hundreds of thousands of households remain without power as the UK woke up to the aftermath of Storm Eunice on Saturday.
Millions of people were urged to stay at home on Friday due to safety fears over the impact of Eunice, one of the worst storms to hit the UK in a generation, while transport woes meant many were unable to travel.
The storm, which damaged property, took down power lines and brought record-breaking gusts of wind to the UK and Ireland, continued to wreak havoc even in its wake.
As of Saturday morning, energy suppliers still list thousands of homes without power, including an estimated 6,000 supplied by Northern Powergrid, 72,000 in Western Power, 260 in Electricity North West, 93,084 in UK Power Networks and 59,600 in the Scottish & Southern networks.
This morning, National Rail said “routes across most of Great Britain” remain affected with disruption set to continue throughout the day after train networks were disrupted by flying debris.
“Do not travel” notices have been reissued for a number of services, including for the Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern networks where some routes are not expected to reopen until the afternoon.
South Western Railway expects significant disruption across their network in the morning, while Great Western Railway and Greater Anglia services are suspended until approximately 10am.
London Fire Brigade said it took 1,958 calls as Storm Eunice hit the capital – three times more than the previous day.
The service tweeted: “Although the worst of StormEunice is over its affect may extend into the coming days. Please be aware of the potential for loose structures or falling debris.”
The M48 Severn Bridge remains closed to all traffic and a spokesman for the Severn crossings said the bridge would not reopen until a detailed inspection had been carried out on Saturday morning.
The M4 Prince of Wales Bridge reopened on Friday afternoon.
It was believed to be the first time both crossings had been closed at the same time due severe winds.
Tragically, the storm also claimed the lives of at least three people in the UK on Friday.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that a woman in her 30s died after a tree fell on a car in Highgate, north London.
A man in his 50s died in Netherton, Merseyside, after debris struck the windscreen of a vehicle he was travelling in and another man in his 20s was killed in Alton, Hampshire, after a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter pick-up collided with a tree in Old Odiham Road just before midday.
Earlier, a man in Co Wexford, Ireland, was also killed by a falling tree.
A member of the public suffered “serious injuries” after being struck by debris from a roof in Henley-on-Thames.
Two men were also in hospital after being injured in similar, separate incidents in south London.
The Met Office has issued a less-severe yellow wind warning for much of the south coast of England and South Wales on Saturday, which it said “could hamper recovery efforts from Storm Eunice”.
Areas affected by the warning could experience more bridge closures, travel delays and further power cuts.
Icy stretches are also expected widely across Northern England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, with some snow in the regions.
Five flood warnings are also still in place.
