Please post any reports of damage - personal report or media reports in this thread.

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A bad start to the day

A man died in a road crash and a fallen tree closed a railway line as 80mph winds hit the West Midlands.

The motorist died when large branch from a fallen tree went through his car windscreen on the Bridgnorth to Broseley Road in Shropshire.
The Shrewsbury to Chester railway line was closed as a train hit a fallen tree near Chirk Station in Wales.
And two men are being treated for hypothermia and exposure after being rescued from moorland in Staffordshire. The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning with flash flooding and structural damage expected

BBC NEWS | England | Man dies as storms batter region

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Two men are being treated for exposure and hypothermia after being rescued from Peak District moorland.

The men called police at about 0300 GMT after becoming lost on the Roaches in heavy winds, driving rain and fog.
Officers who went to the moor near Leek in Staffordshire spotted a torch being used by the men, who are from Newcastle in Staffordshire and Manchester.
When they reached them one man was unconscious. He was carried over rocky ground to an ambulance 1km away. The men had parked their car at Roach Grange and had been walking for several hours.

BBC NEWS | England | Staffordshire | Men saved from Peak District moor

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Gales and heavy downpours have started to batter many parts of the UK.

Storms have hit much of England, Wales and Northern Ireland while Scotland has seen its first major snowfalls of 2007 with the A9 in the Highlands affected.
The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning, advising downpours and gusts of up to 70mph could cause rush hour travel disruption.
A man has died after a branch fell and went through the windscreen of his car in Bridgenorth, Shropshire.
The accident happened on the B4373 Bridgenorth to Broseley road. A second car heading in the opposite direction also collided with part of the branch but its driver was uninjured, West Midlands Ambulance Service said.

BBC NEWS | UK | Storms affecting rush hour travel

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A severe weather warning has been issued for the whole of the South West as the Met office predicts severe gales across the region.

Southwesterly winds of up to 70 miles per hour in exposed areas are expected on Thursday and heavy rain could also cause problems in places.
The Highways Agency is advising people to take extra care on the roads.
And the RNLI is warning water sports enthusiasts to take extra care in the stormy weather.

People wanting to go in the sea on Thursday should take note of the rip currents, tide times, and wind conditions, then consider seriously how safe it is before going in.
"If you have to travel, take the utmost care," said Pc Baxter Provan from Devon and Cornwall Police.

"We are getting reports of trees and cables down all over the place."

And, as south-westerlies gusted to well over 50 knots, Falmouth Coastguards warned small boat owners: "Do not go out."

Devon County Council's control room says its dealing with a number of fallen trees across the county, one on the A381 just outside Totnes is partially blocking the road.
A tree is also blocking part of the road between Bratton Fleming and Barnstaple.
There are also reports of fallen trees across Cornwall.

Power cables have been brought down across the road in Bugle near St Austell and there are reports of a fallen electrical cable and a fallen tree blocking the road at Marldon in Paignton.

Police also say there is a fallen telegraph pole at Yarnscombe near Barnstaple.


The Torpoint Ferry, linking Devon and Cornwall, was also closed for three hours before reopening just before 0730 GMT.

The Environment Agency says a flood watch is in place for the North Devon Coast from Hartland Point to Lynmouth.
And Brixham Coastguard says at least six ships have taken shelter from the weather in Torbay.

BBC NEWS | England | Cornwall | Warning as high winds predicted

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High winds are affecting road and rail travel and at least one visitor attraction in the West.

The M48 old Severn bridge is shut, with traffic being diverted via the second Severn crossing.
Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire is expected to be closed because of concerns about falling trees.
Train operator First Great Western said there was a 50mph restriction affecting services via Swindon, Bristol Temple Meads and Gloucester.
Strong winds - gusting to more than 50mph - and heavy rain made driving conditions on the M4 in South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire difficult. The line between Swindon and Cheltenham, which was closed earlier this week after a train became derailed as a result of a landslip at Kemble, reopened on Thursday.

BBC NEWS | England | Gloucestershire | Travel affected by heavy storms

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DUDLEY 12:30

*** CAUTION - severe gusts in exposed areas ! ***

In the 40 feet altitude difference between me and the crest of the hill, I have counted 30 'real' fences broken / blown away, nearly every larch-lap fence is bits of shrapnel, I have been bombed by two roof tiles (different houses), several large bins are flying about, and I recovered a 20' x 12' tarpaulin playing 'chicken' with the traffic on the main Dudley - Sedgley Road.


Exercise extreme caution when travelling - even by foot !!!!

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North Birmingham - just witnessed people physically blown over by a gust of wind.

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M42 is suffering 5-6 closed due to fallen gantry sign. 8-9 closed due to overturned lorry, and M6 to M42 link North and South, closed.

Full travel information on homepage

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10 photos of the Shropshire area showing widespread damage:

Storm chaos photo gallery: Shropshire Star

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