Thousands of people were left without power and commuters faced travel disruption on Wednesday after Storm Aileen, the first named storm of the year, swept across the UK overnight. Gusts of up to 75mph and heavy rain brought down trees and power lines, particularly affecting Norfolk, Suffolk, Lincolnshire and Essex.
Highways England urged drivers to delay travel if conditions became severe, warning of particular risks to lorries, caravans and motorbikes. The M48 Severn Crossing in South Gloucestershire was closed in both directions, while the Humber Bridge in East Yorkshire was shut to high-sided vehicles. The Ouse Bridge on the M62 was also closed.
On the railways, speed restrictions were imposed on several lines, including between Eastleigh and Weymouth, Petersfield and Portsmouth, and Welwyn Garden City and Arlesey. Network Rail warned of possible disruption from falling trees, power cuts and debris on the tracks.
Power companies reported outages affecting hundreds of homes. In Nottinghamshire, more than 800 properties were without power, while around 700 were affected in Lincolnshire. Parts of Wales and the South West also experienced cuts, with nearly 2,000 homes losing power in Lincolnshire at the storm's peak.
In Liverpool, one of Antony Gormley's iron men statues on Crosby Beach was almost completely blown over. The 100 figures each weigh around 650kg and are screwed onto steel foundations. In Wales and Somerset, two common seals and two baby grey seals were rescued after being blown into cliffs and taken to an RSPCA centre.
