First picture of girl, 17, fatally crushed by tree: Mother 'desperately tried to comfort dying daughter' after St Jude's Storm hit as death toll rises to four

• At least 500,000 homes in southern England were without electricity after trees and high-winds down power cables 
• 17-year-old Bethany Freeman died today after a tree fell onto the static home she was sleeping in at Hever, Kent
• Man in his fifties also killed in Watford after his car was crushed during morning rush hour
• Gas explosion triggered after tree fell on a main kills man and woman at home in Hounslow, west London
• Dylan Alkins, 14, believed to have drowned yesterday after swimming with friends in waves off Newhaven, East Sussex
• David Cameron calls loss of life 'hugely regrettable' and pays tribute to work of the emergency services
• Roads in chaos as trees fall onto roads as high winds howl through the south of England and Wales
• Flash floods reported in Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire and Sussex - Devon and Cornwall police report 122 incidents
• Amendments and cancellations on First Capital Connect, Southeastern, Greater Anglia and Stansted Express
• Also disruption on East Coast, c2c, First Great Western, Southern, Gatwick Express and South West Trains
• Ferries from Poole and Weymouth to Guernsey & Jersey cancelled and hovercrafts to Isle of Wight suspended
• 130 flights cancelled at London Heathrow Airport today but Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Bristol running as normal
• Have you taken any pictures of the damage caused by St Jude's Storm? Send them to us at pictures@dailymail.co.uk

By Liz Hull, Larisa Brown, Mark Duell, Martin Robinson and Hugo Gye

Victim: Bethany Freeman, pictured, died this morning being comforted by her mother after a tree crashed through her caravan and crushed her while she slept in her bed in Kent

A teenager killed by the St Jude's storm was comforted by her heartbroken mother before she died after hurricane-strength winds blew a tree on to the static home she was sleeping in, it emerged today.

Bethany Freeman, 17, was one of four people who died after Britain was battered by 100mph winds that ripped up trees and destroyed homes in a devastating ten hours this morning.

During rush hour a motorist in his fifties was killed in Watford when his Peugeot was crushed as he drove alone to work.

The wind also killed a man and a woman who were pulled from the rubble of a home in Hounslow, West London, after a tree fell on a gas main and destroyed three houses.

A 14-year-old boy, named locally as Dylan Alkins, is also feared dead after being swept out to sea in Newhaven, East Sussex yesterday afternoon.

Miss Freeman was the storm's first victim, and her mother Tess spoke to her while firefighters and neighbours fought to free her but she died a short while later at the scene.

Neighbours Helen O'Connell and her partner Frederic Perdrix were at home next door to Tess's Barn in Lydens Lane, Hever, Kent, when Tess came round this morning urgently seeking help.

Ms O'Connell said: 'She came round here wanting some help. She was absolutely distraught. She said she had come out of her caravan this morning and had found the other caravan with her daughter in it had been flattened by a huge fallen tree.

'Tess said she could hear Beth speaking. She wanted our help to get her out. All the neighbours came out to try and help.

'A farmer came round with his JCB truck to try and lift the tree off the crushed caravan.

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'It was awful. We were trying to console Tess while they tried to get Beth out.

'I think Tess was trying to talk to Beth, trying to comfort her.

Terrible accident: Bethany Freeman, 17, was crushed when this tree fell on her while she lay in bed (pictured). She was comforted by her mother but could not be saved

Police at the scene where a tree has fallen onto a car, reportedly killing the driver, on Lower High Street, Watford

Devastation: This home in Hounslow, west London, was destroyed by a gas explosion this morning after a tree fell on the property. Two people were caught in the rubble 

Tragedy:  Dylan Alkins, 14, is understood to have been swept out to sea as a police helicopter, right, today continues to search for him off Newhaven, in East Sussex.+

THE HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS AND TORRENTIAL RAIN BATTERING UK

STRONGEST WINDS
1)    Needles Old Battery, Isle of Wight – 99mph
2)    Langdon Bay, Kent – 82mph
3)    Isle of Portland, Dorset – 81mph
4)    Andrewsfield, Essex – 79mph
5)    Odiham, Hampshire – 78mph

MOST RAINFALL
1)    Otterbourne, Hampshire – 50mm
2)    Wychcroft, East Sussex – 45.4mm
3)    Cardiff – 44.8mm
4)    Hurn, Dorset – 42mm
5)    Wiggonholt, West Sussex – 37.2mm

'There was no power because the electricity had gone off so we couldn't use any power tools. Neighbours were rallying to find a petrol run chainsaw which eventually someone did.

'But eventually they said Beth had died and there was nothing anyone could do for her.'
As news of her death swept the rural community, her driving instructor Neil Chapman turned up at her home unaware she had been killed.
A visibly shocked Mr Chapman told reporters as he arrived to pick her up: 'I was teaching Bethany to drive. I'd just arrived not realising all this had happened.
'I can't believe it. What a shock. She was a super kid. She was a great girl, good fun. I can't believe it. There's not much else I can say, really, I can't believe it.
'She was 17, a very lively girl, very sporty. We used to chat about cricket because I was into cricket and she was the only girl I knew into cricket.
'Her family must be so devastated. I can't believe it.'
Neighbours in Hever told how some came forward with chainsaws to try to help free Bethany, whose caravan neighboured another static home and several outbuildings.

A 17-year-old girl died today after a tree fell onto the static home she was sleeping in at Hever, Kent

Emergency services were called to the scene in Hever, Edenbridge, but the girl is believed to have died from her injuries

The caravan was parked in a yard when a tree fell onto it during the storm - crushing it completely

Emergency services were called to Hever in Edenbridge at 7.18am following reports that the 17-year-old girl was seriously injured. But teams were unable to save her

Teams gather at the scene in Hever. Kent woke this morning to winds reaching topping 80mph and more than 100 trees felled 

Bethany and her family were living in the caravans while renovation work was taking place at their home, according to two neighbours.
One of them, who declined to be named, said: '(The family) were planning to join up their two buildings, and they were living in the caravans in order to do it.
'They had been living there for one and a half years, but I don't know how many of them there are. She was in one caravan, and mum was in another caravan.
'I don't know who else was there. At the end of the day the tree has come down. I won't criticise anyone working there but not one of the emergency services had a chainsaw.
'It came down to the locals having chainsaws in order to cut a gap and also the local farmer having lifting gear.'

THE ST JUDE'S STORM IN NUMBERS: HOW 100MPH HAS HIT BRITAIN

- 99mph gusts measured on Isle of Wight
- 270,000 homes left without power
- 40 railway lines blocked by 100 trees
- 15 train companies cancel services
- 130 flights cancelled from Heathrow
- 19 flood warnings and 147 flood alerts
-  Four people killed by falling trees

Another neighbour, who also did not want to be named, said: 'We cannot believe the tragedy of it all. From what I gather, they had some buildings which they were renovating and they were living in the caravans.
'A lady came up to ask to borrow a chainsaw. We didn't even realise that it was a fatality until long afterwards. We just assumed that the young girl was going to be OK.'

The St Jude's storm, the most dangerous for years, hit southern England with gusts of almost 100mph and left at least 500,000 homes without power after it struck at around 3am.

Millions of commuters have been left stranded and warned not to travel today unless it is essential, with at least 40 railway lines blocked, roads left impassable and hundreds of flights cancelled.

David Cameron has said the loss of life as a result of the bad weather is 'hugely regrettable'.

The Environment Agency has 19 flood warnings and 147 flood alerts in place and rough seas left two cross-Channel ferries carrying 450 passengers stranded outside Dover when the port had to be closed.

The Met Office said wind reached more than 99mph at the Needles on the Isle of Wight at 5am, but less exposed areas are also being buffeted by 70mph gusts.

THREE fallen trees on road of North London commute

In Watford the winds claimed another life when a red Peugeot was struck by a tree.

'A WAVE JUST WASHED HIM OUT': FRIEND TELLS OF LOSING DYLAN

A distraught friend of Dylan Alkins, who was apparently swept to his death by a giant wave as the St Jude storm gathered momentum, has described the moment the teenager was dragged in.
Emergency services are still searching for Dylan, 14, of Newhaven, East Sussex, on Monday morning after a six hour search in brutal conditions on Sunday failed to find him.
Rhys Davey, 14, was at the scene and described on Facebook what happened.
Rhys said: 'Me and Zach Bennett were down the beach with Dylan and some others, a massive wave came and washed him out in front of my eyes.
'There was nothing we could do apart from wait, he was in the water for about two hours and it is a body recovery which means he did not make it.
'Me and Zack are in tears together and don't know what to do, Dylan was a very good mate of ours and we have some very funny memories. He will be missed and loved by loads of people.'

The driver, a man in his early 50s from Harrow, in north west London, died from his injuries at the scene.

A spokesman for the Hertfordshire force said: 'Police are currently in attendance at an incident in Lower High Street, Watford, following reports of a tree which had fallen on a vehicle around 6.50am.'

An eyewitness said; 'I was on the lower deck of the bus and I saw the tree fall,' said Jed Clifford, aged 40 years, who was travelling to work.

'He was driving away from the tree but it fell across the car. It all happened in slow motion.

'It was like something you would see on one of those freak weather programmes.

'There wasn't much traffic but the man was driving quite slowly and the tree fell at an angle.

'I don't think he could have avoided it even if he had floored it.

'I jumped out of the bus and ran to the car, and then thought , what am I going to do?

'There were other people who were walking past who stopped to help and a builder who jumped out of his van but the tree was too heavy to move.'

She confirmed the driver had died.

Today tributes were being paid to 14-year-old schoolboy Dylan Alkins.

The teenager was missing feared drowned after being swept out to sea in Newhaven, East Sussex, on Sunday.

One friend tweeted: 'knowing my best friend is lost at sea gets me in tears: '( RIP Dylan Alkins love you gorgeous xoxoxoxoxox.'

An eye witness told BBC Radio Sussex that he feared being abused by the youths and did not go ahead with his instinctive plans to warn them of the dangers of standing so close to the seafront.

He said: 'I thought about warning them to stay away as it is dangerous but thought they would tell me to go away as they were young lads.

'The conditions were atrocious but I wish I had gone over to warn them now.'

The accident happened at about 6.50am in Lower High Street, Watford. The man, who was in his early 50s and from Harrow, north west London, was pronounced dead at the scene

He was driving a red Peugeot 307 and was the only person in the vehicle, Hertfordshire Police said

Officers remain at the scene -which is surrounded by felled trees - and the road is closed in both directions

The car, which was driving along Lower High Street, Watford, was crushed by the impact of the falling tree. The man died from his injuries, police said

Police and workmen at the scene of the accident in Watford. Several other people have been reported injured by the falling branches and scattered debris across the country

A falling tree destroyed three houses when it fell on a gas main and led to an explosion in Hounslow, west London.

An elderly woman was taken to hospital following the blast and three people were rescued by London Fire Brigade.

Twelve people were evacuated from surrounding properties as a precaution and fire crews also rescued a dog.

Station manager Matt Burrows described the 'scene of utter devastation' found at the scene.

'Debris was scattered over an area of about 50 metres and the roof of one of the houses was in a tree across the road,' he said.

The body of a man has been found among the rubble of his home blown apart in a gas explosion this morning, emergency services have revealed.
An elderly woman also remained unaccounted for  for several hours afterwards but was later found dead.

A double-decker bus 'rolled over' in Suffolk, injuring the driver and several passengers.

Witnesses told police the vehicle blew over at 8am, rolling onto its side and coming to a stop in a field in Hadleigh.

The driver, a man in his 40s, was initially trapped and was treated at the scene by paramedics.

Two people are believed to be missing after three houses were destroyed by a gas explosion when strong winds caused a tree to fall through a mains pipe in Hounslow

Three people managed to escape before emergency services arrived and twelve people were evacuated from nearby properties

Properties within a 50m radius were damaged as debris was scattered over the street after the blast and people at the scene can still smell gas

A fireman asseses the damage on the scene. The roof of one of the houses was blown off and landed on a tree 20m up on the other side of the road

The gas board is working with police and fire investigation officers at the scene in Hounslow to understand what happened. The fire service's urban search and rescue teams are making the properties safer so further searches can be done to confirm there is no one else involved  

Firefighters at the scene of an explosion involving three houses in Hounslow, West London today. Properties on Bath Road in Hounslow, London, damaged after tree fell through a pipe

Emergency services at the scene in Hounslow where a gas explosion at a house was caused by a falling tree in heavy wind, hospitalising at least three people

National Grid workers at the scene in Hounslow. Around 30 firefighters and six engines were sent to the scene just after 7am

Wreckage: A cherry picker hovers over the destroyed properties as a tree lays on top of a car parked in a next-door driveway

Path of destruction: The St Jude's storm hit Britain at around 3am on Monday morning before sweeping across the UK dumping heavy rain carried by 99mph winds

Millions of commuters left stranded after 15 rail companies decide to scrap services, flights are delayed and roads are blocked

At least 15 train companies were forced to cancel services due to the large number of trees which fell on the lines.

There were almost no trains running into or out of London during the morning rush hour after Network Rail ruled that the lines were unsafe to use.

Although many routes have now re-opened, others remain closed and most train companies have advised passengers not to travel today unless absolutely necessary.

Many companies said that tickets for travel today would be accepted tomorrow in a bid to ease the congestion on those lines which are still running.

Aftermath of October storm affects Windsor and Eton central line as trains were cancelled because of fallen trees

Heavy delays were reported on nearly every London Underground line, while London Overground was largely closed.

BAD WEATHER TALKS HIT BY STORM

The storm has disrupted a Commons committee meeting due to hear evidence of how transport copes with bad weather.
Due to the knock-on effect of today's hurricane-force winds, the House of Commons Transport Committee has had to amend its hearing on transport's winter resilience plans.
An evidence session involving aviation witnesses has been cancelled, with the meeting pushed back 40 minutes.
But the committee will be able to hear, as planned, from newly-appointed Transport Minister Robert
Goodwill and from Transport for London and the Highways Agency.
A spokeswoman for the committee said: 'Arrangements for the Transport Committee's first evidence session on transport's winter resilience have been revised because of transport disruption caused by today's storm.'

More than 130 flights have been cancelled at Heathrow airport, with British Airways axing 20 per cent of services in the morning following a request from airport bosses.

Other airports were affected by delays, and also by the closure of the express train services running from Central London to Gatwick and Stansted.

The port at Dover was closed until shortly after 9am, forcing two cross-Channel ferries to wait off shore during turbulent conditions.

There were severe delays on Britain's busiest motorway, the M25, due to the shutting of the Queen Elizabeth II bridge at the Dartford River Crossing. A section of the M11 in Essex was closed due to an overturned lorry.

On the England-Wales border, the M48 Severn Bridge was closed in both directions between junction 2 at the A466 (Chepstow) and junction 1 at the A403 (Aust), because of strong winds.

Other motorways with hold-ups included the M2 in Kent, the M3 in Surrey, the M4 in Berkshire, the M6 in Cheshire and the M8 in Renfrewshire, Scotland.

Smaller roads across England and Wales faced delays thanks to felled trees and flooding. 

Robin Gisby, Network Rail's managing director of network operations, said: 'NR is dealing with this severe weather in exactly the way that we and the train operators planned over the weekend.

'We have had several hundred staff on duty through the night and into the morning to monitor conditions and react to any damage or disruption caused by hurricane-force winds. Safety remains our top priority.'

He went on: 'While conditions were as forecast during the early part of the morning, the damage caused by the storm has been more severe than expected as it has tracked eastwards to the north of London and across to East Anglia.

'As a result, the West Coast, East Coast and Midland main lines are all currently blocked at their southern ends as a result of fallen trees and damage to power lines and all services are currently suspended on the Anglia route, where the storm is currently.'

Mr Gisby went on: 'At the latest count we have had more than 100 trees down across the southern half of the country and we expect to find more as we complete our safety checks this morning.'

Emergency services at the scene of an overturned double decker bus on the A1071 near Hadleigh in Suffolk

The overturned bus , at the A1071 near Hadleigh in Suffolk, was believed to be carrying passengers when it overturned in strong winds

The front window of the bus lies shattered on the ground after the accident, on the A1071 near Hadleigh in Suffolk. It is believed that while passengers escaped serious injury - the driver has been taken to hospital

Road chaos: The M11 in Essex had to be closed southbound after a HGV overturned in the morning rush hour

Totalled: Council Workers use a chainsaw to clear a fallen tree that collapsed onto a Jaguar in Clapham, south-West London today

Mass disruption: Network Rail posted this picture of a tree on the train line in Keymer, a village in West Sussex, England, one of forty lines that were blocked today

Collapsed scaffolding at London Bridge station, one of the busiest commuter hubs. It is almost deserted as the storm has caused the majority of trains in the south-east to be suspended until 9am 

Crushed: A cyclists ducks under this fallen tree in Hornsey, north London, which has completely destroyed a car during Britain's worst storm for years

Dangerous: A Met police officer walks along a street where a roof was ripped off by the strong winds in central London this morning

Crush: A tree fell on a bus on Turnpike Lane in north London. Police closed the road

Diversion: High winds throughout southern England hit many commuter routes today as trees failed to cope with the winds, like here in Southampton

Business as usual? A worker and a jogger were forced to hop over a huge tree that blocked their London road as people tried to get on with their normal lives despite the terrible weather

A fallen tree in Islington. Emergency services urged the capital's dwellers not to use motorbikes or bicycles as they are particularly vulnerable in high cross winds

Passengers on one London Midland train leaving Northampton at 7am bound for Euston station in London were heavily delayed and only got as far as Tring in Hertfordshire before having to make a return journey.

On the London Underground, only three lines - Victoria, Hammersmith & City and Waterloo & City - were operating normally through the morning rush-hour.

London's Transport Commissioner Sir Peter Hendy said: 'Transport for London services have coped well with the stormy conditions this morning. We put into action well-rehearsed plans to minimise disruption across our road and rail networks, working quickly to remove falling trees and debris.'

He added that it was hoped transport services in the capital would operate normally this afternoon and evening.

BA said it had reduced its schedule by 20 per cent up to 11am, by 10 per cent between 11am and 4pm, and by five per cent between 4pm and 10.30pm.

A spokesman said: 'All of the agreed cancellations are for our European and domestic flights at Heathrow, and these have been published. All our long-haul flights into and out of London Heathrow are currently planned to operate as normal.

'We currently plan to operate all flights to and from London Gatwick and London City airports as normal.'

London Mayor Boris Johnson also chaired an emergency resilience meeting involving all emergency services in London. 

Stark: Rail services in southern Britain have been cancelled or are running to amended timetables because of fears for passenger safety

A bus travels past fallen trees in Islington, north London. Emergency staff say they were called out numerous times for people injured by falling branches and debris

Barrier: A Network Rail image of a tree blocking the railway line at Beltring in Kent. 40,000 homes in the south-east were without power this morning

A fallen tree branch blocking the road in St John's Wood, North London after strong winds swept the capital causing damage and travel disruptions

Deluge: Motorists struggle through a submerged road in Cardiff, South Wales this morning. Flash floods were also reported in Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire and Sussex

Risk: The Emirates Air Line, a cable car link over the Thames, was grounded by the high winds in London this morning

The Air Line Twitter feed stated: 'There is currently no service on the line due to high winds'

Bleak: The usually busy M48 Severn Bridge crossing near Bristol is closed due to strong winds from the storm

CANCELLATIONS, DELAYS AND DISRUPTION: TRANSPORT UPDATE FOR BRITAIN'S MONDAY COMMUTE

Cancelled: The departure boards at Waterloo station this morning, where no services were running

TRAINS

• First Capital Connect: No services until further notice; trains are not expected to run at all today
• Virgin Trains: All trains in and out of Euston cancelled due to a tree on the line; tickets for today will be valid tomorrow
• Southeastern: High-speed services are running, but all others are cancelled until further notice
• Southern: No trains until further notice
• Chiltern: No services until further notice
• CrossCountry: No services south of Reading until further notice
• Greater Anglia: No services until at least midday
• Greater Anglia: No services until at least midday
• c2c (Essex): No services until at least midday
• Stansted Express: No services until at least midday
• Gatwick Express: No services until at least 11.20am
• South West Trains: No services until at least 11am
• East Midlands: No services between Nottingham and Norwich until at least 11am
• London Overground: No services until further notice, except between Highbury & Islington and New Cross
• London Underground: Severe delays, particularly on lines which are exposed to the elements
• First Great Western: Multiple delays and cancellations
• London Midland: Multiple delays and cancellations
• East Coast: Extreme weather contingency timetable
• Eurostar: Services running with delays
• Heathrow Express: Services running as normal

ROADS

• M25: Queen Elizabeth II bridge (Dartford Crossing from Essex to Kent) closed, and flooding at junction 11 (Surrey)
• M11: Section in Essex closed due to an overturned lorry
• M48: Suspension bridge (Severn crossing) closed
• Kent: Sheppey crossing which carries A249 closed
• Cornwall: Heavy flooding on A388 at Hatt and trees fallen on A374 at Sheviock and on A390 near Lostwithiel
• Further delays on the M2 in Kent, the M3 in Surrey, the M4 in Berkshire, the M6 in Cheshire and the M8 in Renfrewshire, Scotland

AIRPORTS

• London Heathrow Airport: More than 130 flights cancelled from 6am to 10.30pm
• London Gatwick Airport: Most flights operating as normal
• Stansted, Luton and Bristol airports: No cancellations reported

FERRIES

• All services to and from Dover have faced severe disruption, as the port was closed until shortly past 9am
• Hovertravel between Ryde and Southsea: All cancelled
• Condor Ferries between Poole/Weymouth and Guernsey/Jersey: All cancelled; additional services will run tomorrow

At least 600,000 homes across Britain left without power after St Jude's storm sweeps through

More than 600,000 households had to cope without power this morning,  with 200,000 still waiting to be reconnected.

In a chaotic ten hours since the winds and rain struck, 400,000 homes in the south of England had to be reconnected to the grid.

Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) said more than 38,000 customers were left without power in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, while Western Power reported a further 3,800 power cuts in the same areas.

Garden: The fence surrounding a nearby property was knocked down by the blast and the safety netting of a trampoline was pulled down

In tact: Debris lies in the garden behind a part of one property which was left untouched after the massive explosion

A tree cuts off a courtyard in Aldenham Street, Euston, narrowly missing homes

Power companies have said they are not sure when the affected homes will have access to power again as they deal with each case on an individual basis.

Technicians from the north have been brought in to help repair damage power lines and engineers are working in the extreme conditions to reconnect people's homes. 

Five times the number of engineers are on duty and people have been told to keep their fridges closed and listen to portable radios to keep updated.

Now the weather has cleared, helicopters have been sent to some parts of the country to assess the damage to the power grids and determine which areas need the most attention.

Tracey Elsey, communications manager for UK power networks, told Radio 4’s Today Programme: ‘We’ve seen a lot more powers cuts and damage reported particularly in the last hour. We’ve got close to 140,000 people without power at the moment – that’s properties, so homes and businesses.

‘We’ve still got about 40,000 people off in the South East, that’s our region that runs from Brighton up to Kent. In our East of England region, which goes from Essex up to the North Norfolk coast to we’ve seen a huge rise in reported power cuts – 100,000 properties off power.

‘(The power lines) are hit by trees – the branches touch the overhead lines or any other debris that’s whipped up by the wind overnight can affect the overhead power lines.

(The system) is built to be resilient to the weather. It’s just that when we have extremely high winds, it can bring down lots of trees. We actually run a year-round tree-cutting programme, and spend about £21million a year trying to keep the trees away from our overhead lines.’  

In Leyton, east London, Francis Road was blocked when 100 metres of two-storey scaffolding was ripped from the row of shop fronts in the early hours

Workmen try to clear the damage to the road Leyton, East London this morning, after it was cut off by collapsed scaffolding

A police officer surveys the scene after scaffolding collapsed on top of cars in a street in Leyton, East London this morning

Carnage: This street in Leyton, east London was strewn with debris after raging winds tore down shopfront scaffolding

A Mercedes parked outside a building in Sussex has been crushed by a falling debris amid the storms

Men struggle to remove the roof and fallen debris from on top of the car - parked outside Freddy's Smile Cancer Charity in Sussex

Broken: The hurricane-force winds snapped this crane held high above Downing Street, which has collapsed onto the roof of the Cabinet Office

Twisted metal: A crane above Downing Street collapsed onto the roof of the Cabinet Office overnight, causing damage

A construction crane lays on top of the cabinet office government building after collapsing in high winds after the storm hit central London

Waves crash against a lighthouse at Newhaven in South East England, as Britain's strongest storm in a decade battered southern regions on Monday, forcing hundreds of flight cancellations, cutting power lines and disrupting the travel plans of millions of commuters

Police said rescuers were forced to call off a search for a 14-year-old boy late on Sunday due to the pounding waves, whipped up by the rising wind in Newhaven

Large waves, produced by storm force winds, break against the harbour wall in Dover

Collapse: A car drives past a toppled tree in Chinnor south Oxfordshire, earlier today

Media storm: A news stand knocked over by wind on Tottenham Court Road in central London

Felled: A tree blocking the road in Brighton during the early stages of the Storm. Many roads in the south-west were blocked, causing rush hour chaos

Collapse: An uprooted tree and an upended bench at an unknown location, posted by Carrie Luxembourg

Blockade: Cyclists look at a fallen tree in Islington, north London today

Unexpected: Facebook user Lucy Pegrum found someone else's trampoline in her garden thanks to strong winds. Right, the pavement is cracked as a tree is uprooted in Walthamstow, north London

Going nowhere: Victoria Station is at a standstill as major travel disruptions take place in London this morning

Uprooted: A tree torn from the ground after the night's storms in Windsor, Berkshire. Right, travel chaos at Richmond Station this morning

Overground services were also disrupted, with services not likely to get under way until 9am as TfL scrambled to clear trees from the lines in the north of the capital.

Even Downing Street has been hit by the storm with a crane currently on a roof above it crashing down on the the Cabinet Office roof, leading to Whitehall below being condoned off. 
Cabinet Office spokesperson :'A crane at the back of the Cabinet Office has been dislodged by the storm, and is currently resting on the roof. We are assessing the damage, and some areas of the building will be evacuated while we do so. Many staff can log on and work flexibly from the Treasury building, or from other locations – and we are exploring other temporary options. 
'We are working hard to ensure the safety of our staff and minimum disruption to operations.'
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was forced to cancel his monthly press conference in Westminster after the crane collapsed.
Devon and Cornwall Police responded to more than 200 storm-related incidences overnight.  

Passers-by examine a fallen tree lying across the road due in Shepherd's Hill, north London

A cyclist climbs over a fallen tree lying across the road in Shepherd's Hill, north London, as passers by look on

The River Stour shows the signs of heavy rainfall as high water flows underneath a bridge in Tredington, Warwickshire

The swollen River Stour flows underneath a bridge in Tredington, Warwickshire

A lone walker makes their way across a bridge over the River Stour, in Warwickshire, after the heavy rainfall

The River Stour appears to have burst over its banks in Warwickshire. A warning has been issued for the areas around the River Stour from Tredington to Clifford Chambers in Warwickshire

A pub by the River Stour appears to have been cut off by the heavy rainfall in Warwickshire

Passers-by survey the damage to the Rover Stour in Warwickshire. A flood warning is one step up from an alert, and is in place to tell people that flooding is expected, and immediate action should be taken

Flooded fields near the village of Whitford, near Devon. Britain faced travel chaos on October 28 and over 200,000 homes were without power as one of the worst storms in years battered southern England, sweeping at least one person out to sea

A motorcycle rider decides to turn back from a flooded area of road near the village of Whitford, in Devon

A car splashes through a flooded section of road near the village of Whitford, in Devon

UK STORM: Terrified drivers hit by falling trees. Plymouth, Devon

 

Splintered: A fallen tree branch partially blocks a pavement and road in London. Falling branches and uprooted trees caused widespread traffic delays

Nature's fury: A tree in a residential area of Bristol lies across a platform. The city was severely affected by floods and power outages

Crush: A falling tree smashed onto the roof of this car in Plymouth, Devon. Heavy winds lashed the south west overnight

A teenage boy is also feared dead after being swept out to sea in Newhaven, East Sussex yesterday afternoon. Rescuers will resume their search today

Patient: Commuters and transport workers wait for news at London Bridge station

Scores of commuters queue out of Balham station, in south west London, as overground services from the station were canceled

Scores of commuters queue out of Balham station, in south west London. At least 15 different train companies have cancelled services

A tree is ripped from its roots, and crashes onto a parked car, cutting off a road in Bognor Regis. Roads in chaos as trees fall onto roads as high winds howl through the south of England and Wales

The London Ambulance Service said it has been responding to a number of storm-related incidents since 6am this morning.
Deputy Director of Operations Peter McKenna said: ‘It is proving to be a busy morning for us for storm-related injuries. We would encourage anyone to consider if their journey is entirely necessary.
‘Remember a storm of this severity has the potential to uproot trees and damage buildings so if walking, take great care and look out for flying debris.’
Their paramedics were called out when a tree fell onto a van in West London, where a man in his 50s injured his back and nexk before being rushed to St Mary’s Hospital.
A 26-year-old man was hit by part of a falling tree near Clapton Common in east London at 6.50am, and also hurt his back and neck while a 29-year-old man was hit by a tree and treated for head, chest and foot injuries before being taken to Ealing Hospital.

A fallen branch is seen as a man walks towards Lambeth Bridge on the River Thames as more than 40,000 homes are without power and commuters are facing severe travel disruption after the worst storm in years lashed the UK

Slick: A cyclist battles through deep wate after the storm caused flooding on many roads in Cardiff

Fury: The sea crashes against the harbour wall in Brighton this morning

Landfall: Such was the ferocity of the sea a boat broke its moorings and was washed up on the beach

Brutal: Normally a dozen or so members swim around the pier, but the churning sea was far too dangerous earlier

THE SAINT OF LOST CAUSES

The storm was named after St Jude, the Roman Catholic patron saint of lost causes, whose feast day is today.
Also known as Thaddeus, he was born into a Jewish family in Palestine and is believed to be a blood relative of Jesus.
He was one of 12 apostles chosen to spread the gospel and he is believed to have brought Christianity to Armenia.
Details of his life are scarce. But he became associated with lost causes because of a letter he wrote to the persecuted churches of the East in about 60AD.
In it, he is believed to have stressed the importance of persisting in difficult circumstances, as their forefathers had done before them. But around five years later he was hacked to death in Armenia.
He is often pictured with an axe, symbolising the way he was killed. His body was later taken to St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

There are also widespread reports of local roads in Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire and Sussex blocked or closed due to fallen trees and flash flooding.

Cornwall Council reported heavy flooding on the A388 at Hatt, and trees fallen on a number of A-roads, including the A374 at Sheviock and on the A390 near Lostwithiel. Street lamps were also blown out in Saltash.

In Newquay 100 properties were left without power for part of the night, and emergency services were called out to almost 40 incidents.

Sharon Taylor, assistant chief constable for Devon and Cornwall Police, told the BBC: 'So far we have had 122 weather-related incidents, that includes 19 reported areas with localised flooding.

'We have put out over 100 extra police officers, including over 50 special constables. I am pleased to say that the majority of incidents are those reported by our own staff and other agencies out on the road, so it does seem that the public have taken to heart the advice we have been giving out over the weekend.

'We have got a significant number of flood warnings in place and certainly at least 19 areas where we have got localised flooding at the moment.'

She added that police were considering evacuating up to 30 properties at Axminster because of flooding, rather than wind damage.

Ms Taylor said volunteers in 4x4 vehicles were poised to get out around the two counties to help with flood and wind damage.

A police car was damaged by a falling tree on the B2104 in Sussex, officers said, while a car also hit a fallen tree in Langney Rise, Eastbourne. The driver was uninjured, police said.

Chris Burton, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: 'The storm is currently over the south Midlands, but it is moving in a large swathe across the country.

'The strongest winds are around Dorset, Somerset and the Hampshire areas, and they are going to spread north and east in the next few hours.

'The highest winds have hit 99mph in exposed areas on the Isle of Wight. Elsewhere it has reached 80mph in Portland in Dorset and 75mph at Yeovilton in Somerset, but gusts are widely reaching 50mph.

'Over the next few hours we will be expecting gusts of 60mph in central, south-eastern areas and East Anglia, with the potential of winds reaching 80mph, possibly higher, on the south coast.

'But by mid-morning it should have eased off quite quickly and moved over the North Sea, and winds will die down by about 10am.'

Only the brave (or foolish) took the the churning seas today as storm force winds lashed the south coast

A lone surfer takes to the seas amid the worst storm to hit the country in years

People walk along the beach next to rough sea in Charmouth, in Dorset, southern England, as waves crash against the coast

A daredevil surfer falls off a wave at Charmouth, in Dorset, as the coast is battered by strong winds and towering seas

Hurricane winds batter the Brighton coast as a child and an adult force their way through the storm

A boat lays stricken on the beach as people watch the waves batter into the sea wall of a marina in Brighton

The Brighton Marina harbour wall pictured at first light at Storm Jude hit Britain

A boat broke its moorings and was washed up on the beach as the giant waves attacked the Brighton coast. Hurricane-force winds and torrential rain is battering southern England with gusts of almost 100mph

Waves crash against a lighthouse during storms that battered Britain and where a 14-year-old boy was swept away to sea at Newhaven

People watch the waves batter into the sea wall of a marina in Brighton

A spokesman at Heathrow Airport said around 130 flights had been cancelled as a result of the weather.

Original projections stated only half that number would be affected, but this accounted for arrivals and not departures, the spokesman said.

Gatwick, Stansted and Luton airports urged passengers to keep up to date with the status of their flights.

As the drama unfolded last night:

• David Cameron held crisis talks with the Met Office and Environment Agency about how to handle the ‘widespread impact’ of what was predicted to be the worst storm in years;
• Transport minister Susan Kramer urged people to stay at home until the storm had passed;
• Train services in the South were either cancelled or running amended timetables;
• London Overground cancelled all its services until 9am and Eurostar cancelled its services until 7am;
• Both Severn crossings and the Sheppey Crossing were closed as the winds intensified;
• The Environment Agency issued 142 flood alerts and three flood warnings.

Government departments, transport agencies and environmental organisations were on high alert amid fears the storm could leave a trail of destruction in its wake, bringing down trees and power lines and causing localised flooding and power cuts.

Forecast: The Met Office said the storm would reach maximum ferocity in the early hours of today but move quickly eastwards, with winds falling away by lunchtime

THIS TIME MICHAEL FISH SAYS: DON'T TAKE ANY CHANCES

Michael Fish last night urged people to take ‘two or three hours’ off work today if the storm hits their area.
The forecaster, who infamously reassured viewers that ‘no hurricane’ was coming before the Great Storm of 1987, said workers would be safer if they delayed their commute and went in at lunchtime.
He said the gales would hit many in the South just as they headed out to the office. ‘These strong winds ... are going to be unfortunately at around getting up time and rush-hour time,’ Mr Fish said.
‘So the message we’re trying to convey at the moment is to delay your journey just by two or three hours in the morning and then you should be safe.’
But the former BBC weatherman said it was unlikely St Jude would rival the Great Storm – although he added that storms were ‘fickle’.

In County Durham, police confirmed that a 47-year-old canoeist who capsized after getting into difficulty in the swollen River Tees at Whorlton Lido, near Barnard Castle, on Saturday had died.

In Cambourne, Cornwall, a family of four escaped unhurt after a tree hit their house in the early hours of yesterday.

Commuters face rush-hour chaos this morning as they wake up to the impact of the worst storm in years.

Rail services across most of southern Britain have been cancelled or are running to amended timetables because of fears for passenger safety, debris on railway lines and damage to infrastructure.

Some services are not operating at all until late morning and Network Rail is advising passengers to allow extra time to reach their stations and to catch connecting trains because road conditions are also expected to be hazardous.

On the roads there are warnings of standing flood water across much of the south of the UK, as well as reports of trees coming down across roads.

Both Severn crossings, the M4 and the M48, have been closed because of high winds, as has the southbound lane of the Queen Elizabeth II bridge on the M25, part of the Dartford River Crossing between Essex and Kent.

About 60 flights have also been cancelled at London's Heathrow Airport today due to the storm.

Among the rail operators, First Capital Connect said it was not expecting to run a service until 9am, and then to an amended schedule, while Southeastern will run an amended timetable with the possibility of services not starting until 9am or 10am.

Greater Anglia and Stansted Express services will not run until after 9am, and then with a reduced service and significant disruption expected, while East Coast will operate an amended timetable, with the first train leaving London's Kings Cross at 7.35am and the first arriving there at 8.56am.

Operator c2c will run an amended service, with no trains until at least 9am, First Great Western will have an amended timetable until 10am, with just one train an hour on services between London Paddington and Swansea and Bristol Temple Meads, while Southern and Gatwick Express services will not run before 9am, and only with amended services after that.

South West Trains said it expected to run an amended timetable, with no trains before 8am, and was only running trains at a maximum of 50mph because of high winds. Transport for London said there will be no service on the Overground line until 9am.

West Coast main line operator Virgin Trains said an amended service may run before 9am on Monday when there will be speed restrictions between Birmingham and Rugby and between Rugby and Euston station in London Euston. The company added that journey times may be extended by up to 70 minutes.

Chiltern Railways tweeted that speed restrictions have been removed from its lines, and that it plans to run 'as near to normal service as possible'.
Eurostar announced it would be unable to run any cross-Channel rail services until 7am to allow the high-speed train lines to be inspected.

The 5.40am and 6.50am services from London will set off at least one-hour late and will be subject to 50mph speed restrictions.
All other services up to noon will be subject to about 20-minute delays.

Forecast: These Met Office graphics show the yellow and amber weather warnings for today (left) and the timing of the strongest winds (right)

Network Rail's managing director of network operations Robin Gisby said: 'Passengers will, I hope, understand that their safety and the safety of our workforce has to be the rail industry's number one priority during such severe weather.

'We will be monitoring conditions on the ground throughout the night and into the morning, but we simply cannot allow trains to run until the storm has passed and we have been able to make sure that the railway is safe and free of obstructions.'

Rail users were strongly advised to check operators' websites for the latest advice and information or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk.

On the roads, while the Dartford River Crossing is closed the tunnel part of the crossing is expected to remain open and will operate in contraflow (one tunnel running in each direction) to allow traffic to still get across the Thames.

While both Severn crossings are closed diversions will be in place via the A449, A40, M50 and M5.

Those travelling from West Wales can use the A465 to join the diversionary route.

A previously-planned overnight closure of the M50 for roadworks has been cancelled to allow for the diversion.

Highways Agency crisis management co-ordinator Martin Hobbs said: 'We are working closely with the Met Office to monitor conditions, plan according to the forecast and respond to severe weather.

'Drivers are encouraged to think carefully before setting off as driving conditions are expected to be difficult.

'If you do have to make a journey by road be prepared, plan your journey in advance and check the latest weather and traffic conditions along your route.'

At Heathrow Airport, a spokesman said cancellations were made to give passengers advanced information about their flights ahead of the expected disruption.

About 30 flights will be cancelled from 6-11am, 20 from 11am-4pm and 10 from 4-10.30pm, a combination of arrivals and departures.

Gatwick, Stansted and Luton airports urged passengers to keep up to date with the status of their flights.

A Bristol Airport spokesman said the airport was open, but advised passengers to check with airlines.

On the ferry services, a spokesman for the Port of Dover said conditions in the English Channel were 'rough", with 'force 10' winds.

The ferry terminal is open, but is operating with delays.

The spokesman said: 'MyFerryLink have cancelled their 7am sailing this morning. Due to adverse weather conditions in the Channel some sailings are experiencing delays. Passengers are advised to contact their shipping operator for further information and updates.'

Insurance companies have advised householders to take steps to protect themselves and their property.
These include establishing an evacuation plan, ensuring gutters are clear and placing valuables upstairs to limit flood damage.

More...

• Man found dead in rubble and elderly woman still missing after gas explosion sparked by falling tree: 270,000 homes in southern England are without power
• Did he see it coming this time? Forecaster Michael Fish reveals a birch tree has fallen down in his garden
• The Great Storm of 1987: How the 'hurricane' claimed 18 lives, flattened 15million trees and caused damage costing £1.5billion

The Met Office added that the expected storm was ‘not one you would see every year’, and could be compared to those that took place in March 2008, January 2007 and October 2000.
Forecasters said they could not rule out declaring a ‘red alert’, meaning there was ‘a high risk of serious disruption’, and warned that the chaos could coincide with tomorrow’s morning rush-hour.

The Great Storm of 1987: Claimed 18 lives, flattened 15 million trees and caused damage costing £1.5billion

The Great Storm which battered England and Wales in 1987 was the worst storm to hit south-east Britain in over 300 years.
In the early hours of October 16 winds peaked at more than 120mph, killing 18 people, damaging buildings and felling 15 million trees in the south east of England.
Millions of homes were left without power for at least a few hours, with some having no electricity for days as trees fell on power lines, disrupting supplies. 

 

 

 

Damage: An uprooted tree lies across a car in London after the Great Storm on October 15, 1987, which claimed 18 lives

Powerful: The highest gust recorded from the storm was at Gorleston, Norfolk, hitting 122mph

The damage caused cost £1.5billion.
Whilst most of England and Wales experienced wet and windy weather that night, it was southern and eastern parts of England that were worst hit.

The highest gust recorded from the storm was at Gorleston, Norfolk, hitting 122mph.
A ship capsized at Dover, and a Channel ferry was driven ashore near Folkestone.
Veteran weatherman Michael Fish bore the brunt for famously telling the nation there was no hurricane in the offing, just hours before it arrived.
At the time Mr Fish told viewers tuning into the broadcast: ‘Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rang the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way; well, if you’re watching, don’t worry, there isn’t, but having said that, actually, the weather will become very windy, but most of the strong winds, incidentally, will be down over Spain and across into France.’
But in 2011, one of his former colleagues finally stepped forward to take the blame for the Met Office’s botched forecast.
Bill Giles, who was chief forecaster at the time, admitted that he was in fact responsible for the lunchtime broadcast on October 15 in 1987.
It was the worst storm since 1703 and a public enquiry was announced shortly after the storm and an internal enquiry was conducted by the Met Office.
The Met Office writes: 'We now know that the strength of the storm was boosted by a phenomenon known as the ‘Sting Jet’, where cold dry air descends into storms high in the atmosphere.
'Rain or snow falling into this jet of air evaporates and cools the air further, adding more energy which translates into stronger winds. By the time this ‘sting in the tail’ reaches the ground it can produce winds of 100mph which are concentrated over a small area.
'In 1987, no-one knew sting jets even existed, but now they are well understood and included in forecast models. The storm which affected Scotland in December 2011 was boosted by a sting jet, explaining the maximum gust speed of 164mph recorded on top of Cairngorm.' 

Business as usual: A Routemaster driving through the streets of London after the strong winds

Power: A Sealink ferry was forced onto dry land by the extreme winds

Britain is set to be hit by the worst weather since the Great Storm of 1987 when this tree crashed over in Eynsford, Kent