London weather LIVE: Capital battered by strong winds as over 160 Heathrow flights cancelled amid Storm Darragh travel chaos

Storm Darragh has wreaked havoc across Britain, forcing residents in the worst-hit areas to stay indoors and leaving thousands without power. London escaped the storm's full force but still saw gusts of up to 49mph, prompting the closure of all Royal Parks and the Winter Wonderland attraction. Heathrow Airport cancelled over 200 flights, with dramatic footage showing planes struggling to land in the fierce winds.

Despite the challenging conditions, some Londoners ventured out, including participants in a Christmas Jumper Corgi Parade in Central London which went ahead as planned. The Met Office has extended its yellow weather warning for London and the South East into Sunday evening, with winds expected to reach 40-50mph tomorrow. Rain is forecast throughout most of Sunday.

More than 160 flights were cancelled at Heathrow on Sunday as strong winds battered the capital. The Met Office issued its highest-level red warning for Wales and south-west England,[1] where the extreme weather [2] has caused "danger to life" and widespread disruption across the country. London [3] faces its own battle with powerful gusts reaching 55mph, earning the capital a yellow weather warning [4].

The windy weather is set to continue into Sunday, the Met Office has forecast. Elsewhere, a man in his 40s died after a tree fell onto his van in Lancashire. Another man later died on the road in Birmingham area.

Thousands of people across Northern Ireland, England and Wales were left without power as they braced for the storm's impact.

Man watched Storm Darragh rip his son's pre-school apart

20:18 , Will Mata A man who watched his three-year-old son's pre-school get torn apart by strong winds from Storm Darragh in rural west Wales has described the experience as "devastating". Brett Stones, 45, looked on in horror as the roof of the Cylch Meithrin in New Quay, Ceredigion, detached and blew away on Saturday afternoon.

The area fell within the rare red warning for wind that was issued by the Met Office for the storm. The forecaster warned ahead of the storm that there could be damage to buildings and homes, and flying debris caused by the powerful gusts. Mr Stones said the strong winds started in New Quay around 2am on Saturday before "everything went nuts" at around 1pm.

He told the PA news agency: "I've got dozens of trees down and fences and tiles, so instead of watching it all go wrong we went into the house. Then the power went out at about 2pm, so we were just sat around the kitchen table looking at each other. "There was a big creaking noise from out the back of the house - the school is about 50m from my house - and a piece of fluffy insulation came into the garden.

"We ran upstairs to the window just as the roof peeled off and flew into the tennis courts."

What is the weather forecast for Monday in London?

20:05 , Will Mata Normality is set to somewhat resume for London on Monday, with the Met Office's yellow warning being dropped on Sunday night. Monday will largely be overcast in the capital with rain perhaps starting to fall into the evening.

"Another cloudy day with further outbreaks of showery rain," a forecast read. "Drier interludes more likely in the west of the region. Strong and blustery winds continuing, gradually easing later."

First victim of storm named as football coach

19:20 , Will Mata The first victim of Storm Darragh, who was killed after a tree fell on to his van in Lancashire, has been named locally as football coach Paul Fiddler.

Mr Fiddler, who was in his 40s, was driving his Citroen vehicle on the A59 at Longton, near Preston, at about 9am on Saturday. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Lytham Town FC said on Facebook that Mr Fiddler was a club "legend".

It added: "A well loved coach, football player, gaffer but most of all a true friend. "Paul, thank you for everything mate. Our thoughts are with the Lytham Town lads, his friends and family at this time.

"Rest in Peace Paul. We will miss you." Detective Sergeant Matt Davidson, from Lancashire Police's serious collision investigation unit, said: "Very sadly, this incident has resulted in the death of a man and our thoughts are with his loved ones at this time.

"An investigation is ongoing, and I would appeal to anyone who saw what happened or has any dashcam or mobile phone footage to please get in touch."

More than 150,000 without power

19:02 , Will Mata Around 161,000 customers were still without power as of 2pm on Sunday as a result of damage caused by Storm Darragh, the Energy Networks Association said. In its latest update, the body said 91 per cent of affected customers had now had their supplies restored by network operators.

'Not sure when power will return'

18:00 , Will Mata

A woman has said that she is not sure when the power will return. Deb Knowles, who lives in Devon, told PA that she has been unable to get in touch with anyone whou could help. "I can't believe that in a first-world country, the only way to log an emergency is through one telephone number.

It's quite ridiculous," she added. "I mean, there's hundreds of thousands of people in the same particular predicament as me. I'm not the only person, so I understand that there's a lot of people getting through, but there should be more ways to log that there's no power than one telephone number."

People are now lighting candles due to power cuts

16:58 , Will Mata

People have been lighting candles in the "pitch black" as some have been affected by power cuts for more than 24 hours due to Storm Darragh. A woman near Rackenford, Devon, said she went for more than 24 hours without power from 12.30pm on Saturday and the family were without water other than one tap, forcing them to collect rainwater to flush the toilets. Theresa White, 55, told the PA news agency: "It was pitch black so we played a few card games and things like that, and tried to get in touch (with our energy provider)."

Some have described their surroundings as pitch black (PA Wire)

Hundreds of thousands remain without power

16:23 , Josh Salisbury

Hundreds of thousands of people were facing a second day without power on Sunday after the widespread disruption caused by Storm Darragh. A yellow wind warning for the whole of England and Wales also remains in place until 6pm, with the Met Office warning further strong winds of up to 70mph cause cause possible short-term loss of power. The Energy Networks Association said about 200,000 customers remained without power as of 9am on Sunday following the effects of the storm, but added that 88% of affected customers had been reconnected.

Theresa White, 55, who lives near Rackenford, Devon, said her family were lighting candles in the "pitch black" after going more than 24 hours without power due to the storm. She said: "We had no internet and all our phone signals weren't working, so we were basically cut off and we do live in a wooded area."

Travel disruption continues amid Storm Darragh

13:02 , Josh Salisbury National Highways has said the M48 at Severn Bridge between J1 and J2 and the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge were both closed due to strong winds while the A15 Humber Bridge is closed in both directions to high-sided and vulnerable vehicles.

Footage shared on social media showed a British Airways flight battling strong winds whilst attempting to land at Heathrow Airport. South Western Railway said services in Surrey, between both Guildford and Effingham Junction and through Farncombe, faced delays or alterations until Sunday afternoon due to trees blocking the track earlier. Customers were advised to book their own taxis to nearby Epsom.

Avanti West Coast said all lines are closed between Wolverhampton and Stafford due to a tree blocking the line, with disruption is expected until the end of the day. A number of Transport for Wales services remain suspended, with the operator advising customers not to travel on Sunday.

'Calmer today than yesterday', says Met Office

11:37 , Josh Salisbury The Environment Agency still had more than 50 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, and more than 130 flood alerts issued across England on Sunday morning.

But it appears largely calmer than yesterday, the Met Office has said. Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: "It's not quite the calm after the storm, but it is calmer than yesterday, for sure. "There are still some disruptive winds around because whilst the low that is Storm Darragh has now cleared away towards the south east, tightly-packed isobars across much of the country indicate we do still have some very windy weather to come through today.

"The strongest gusts will be through this morning around coastal parts, 60-70mph. Inland, 40-50[mph] seems quite likely. "There will also be some wet weather around, particularly across central and eastern parts of England, some heavier outbreaks of rain for a time.

Further west [there is] a greater chance of staying dry, and there will be some sunshine breaking through at times too."

Strong winds continued to hit England and Wales on Sunday (Owen Humphreys/PA) (PA Wire)

Train lines reopen in Northern Ireland after storm chaos

10:41 , Josh Salisbury Train lines have reopened in Northern Ireland but thousands of homes remain without power following Storm Darragh. Gusts of up to 70mph caused extensive damage to the electricity network in the region, with 48,000 customers losing power at the peak of the storm.

Co Antrim saw the most impact, with power station EP Ballylumford temporarily halting electricity generation on Saturday following damage to a chimney and scores of roads blocked by fallen trees. A bus also crashed close to Belfast International Airport and a loyalist mural in north Belfast was damaged.

Pictured: Trees collapse on major west London road

09:45 , Josh Salisbury Trees have been pictured collapsed onto west London's Old Brompton Road.

(Jeremy Selwyn)

Storm Darragh clearing eastward

09:18 , Josh Salisbury

Storm Darragh is clearing eastward but strong winds remain, says the Met Office. A yellow weather warning for wind remains in place for England and Wales into Sunday evening, with gusts of up to 45mph expected inland.

70mph winds could be seen in coastal areas, with further travel disruption and some power cuts possible.

Major disruption to Victoria services amid Storm Darragh

08:13 , Josh Salisbury A fault with the signalling system at London Victoria means all lines are currently closed at the station.

It is not clear if this is weather related. Southeastern and Thameslink services are now being diverted, with major disruption expected until the end of the day.

Live coverage resumes

07:43 , Josh Salisbury The Met Office has extended its yellow weather warning for the capital today as the capital continues to be battered by Storm Darragh.

The warning for wind lasts until 6pm. This means that people should expect some bus and train services affected, with some journeys taking longer, delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport, and potential short term loss of power and other services.

All for today

Saturday 7 December 2024 22:30 , Will Mata That concludes tonight's coverage of Storm Darragh.

Thank you for reading.

Pictures from London as Storm Darragh strikes

Saturday 7 December 2024 22:00 , Will Mata

A tourist wearing a raincoat walks on Westminster Bridge (REUTERS)

People walk during a gust of wind on Millennium Bridge (REUTERS)

A woman walks during a gust of wind on Millennium Bridge (REUTERS)

Jersey Electricity confirms power outages

Saturday 7 December 2024 21:30 , Will Mata Jersey Electricity has confirmed that the island is experiencing power issues on Saturday evening. The company tweeted: "We are aware of several power outages in different locations around the island.

"Our rapid response teams are working hard to restore supplies as soon as possible. "Thank you for your understanding while we work carefully and diligently to restore power." The message follows Wales and much of the west of England experiencing issues.

How long will the warning last for?

Saturday 7 December 2024 21:00 , Will Mata

The Met Office has had a red warning in place for parts of the UK on Saturday as Storm Darragh struck. This has been replaced by a a yellow or amber warning for vast swathes of the country for Saturday night. A yellow warning for wind is in place for London.

On Sunday, amber alerts will disappear but a yellow alert will cover all of the country for wind. However, all alerts are set to be removed for Monday - as it stands.

Second man dies on roads during Storm Darragh

Saturday 7 December 2024 20:46 , Will Mata West Midlands Police have said that a man has died after a tree fell on his car in Erdington, in Birmingham area.

"Our thoughts are with the man's family at this time, and his next of kin have been informed," the police said in a statement. The tree is said to have fallen as a result of hazardous conditions caused by Storm Darragh. A man was previously confirmed to have died [5] in Lancashire.

In Pictures: Violent Storm Darragh leaves trail of disruption

Saturday 7 December 2024 20:30 , Will Mata Storm Darragh swept through the UK on Saturday as millions of people were warned to stay indoors, thousands were left without power and travel was disrupted.

One man died when a tree fell onto his van in Lancashire. See the full gallery here from an eventful day

Hundreds of Heathrow flights impacted

Saturday 7 December 2024 20:06 , Will Mata Hundreds of flights have been diverted or cancelled from Heathrow Airport as a result of bad weather on Saturday.

British Airways alone has cancelled more than 100 flights to destinations such as Edinburgh, Jersey, Milan, Nice and Vienna. Meanwhile, Brussels has been used to cover for Heathrow for diverted transatlantic flights. It has meant that passengers on Delta flights from Atlanta and American Airlines from Dallas are among those who have been diverted to the Belgian capital.

Luthansa, Air Lingus, Air France and KLM have also had flights cancelled.

South African fan 'shattered' after Merseyside derby cancelled

Saturday 7 December 2024 20:00 , Will Mata An Everton fan who travelled from South Africa said his lifelong dream to watch his team play was "shattered" after the final league Merseyside derby at Goodison Park between Everton and Liverpool was postponed due to Storm Darragh. High winds and rain have battered the west coast and the decision to call off the lunchtime kick-off was made early on Saturday morning.

Gareth Clark, 29, told the PA news agency he arrived in the UK from Cape Town on November 27 and has been staying in London, Liverpool and Edinburgh since then, with the Merseyside derby the highlight of his trip. "It has been my lifelong dream to come and watch Everton, and I finally saved enough money to come and watch my first derby - and, of course, the final derby at Goodison. Also my first time that I have managed to come to the UK," he said.

Mr Clark, a teacher, said he spent a "vast amount" of money on the trip, including around GBP750 for flights.

Everton fan Gareth Clark (Gareth Clark/PA Wire)

Some pictures from around the UK

Saturday 7 December 2024 19:30 , Will Mata

A dog walks on a street after Storm Darragh hit the country, in Porthcawl, Wales (REUTERS)

Waves crash into Porthcrawl in Wales (REUTERS)

Sunday's forecast for London

Saturday 7 December 2024 19:00 , Will Mata The effects of Storm Darragh are likely to still be felt into Sunday, according to BBC weather. The forecast, which is now live [6], has stated that the capital will see gusty winds and rain for most of Sunday.

There will be highs of 7C. "Tonight will continue to be very windy with strong north-westerly to northerly gusts," said the forecast. "Showery spells of rain will continue to move in from the north-east, heavy at times."

What is a red weather warning?

Saturday 7 December 2024 18:30 , Will Mata

The Met Office gives grades to different severities of storm across the UK. The colour rating refers to how damaging the weather could be and how likely this is. It states that a red weather warning means "dangerous weather is expected".

"If you haven't already done so, you should take action now to keep yourself and others safe from the impact of the severe weather," the agency states [7]. "It is very likely that there will be a risk to life, with substantial disruption to travel, energy supplies and possibly widespread damage to property and infrastructure. "You should avoid travelling, where possible, and follow the advice of the emergency services and local authorities."

Prince William held up by Storm Darragh

Saturday 7 December 2024 18:18 , Will Mata

Prince William is due to meet US president-elect Donald Trump on Saturday night but his flight to Notre Dame has been delayed. The heir to the throne is set to attend an event for the reopened cathedral. He will still meet Mr Trump but his private meeting with first lady Jill Biden has been cancelled.

He will speak to her at the ceremony, the Mail has reported.

What will the next storm be called?

Saturday 7 December 2024 18:00 , Will Mata Storm Darragh is upon us meaning we have reached the fourth named storm of the year. But what will others be named in the coming months?

Nuray Bulbul and Jordan Page have put this explainer together to put you ahead of the weather.[8]

Damaged boarding around a property in Clevedon, Somerset (Harry Stedman/PA Wire)

Sailor was 'up all night listening to the winds'

Saturday 7 December 2024 17:30 , Will Mata A sailor who lives on a yacht in Portsmouth said he was up all night listening to the howling winds of Storm Darragh and is "just riding out on coffee at the moment". Ed Coll, 29, told the PA news agency he has been living on a yacht in a marina in the city since January after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and decided to following his dream of living on a boat.

He has since recovered from cancer and has been documenting his experience living on the yacht on his TikTok sailing.optimist for more than 5,000 followers. Mr Coll has been filming his experience grappling with Storm Darragh, with one of his videos showing him preparing ahead of the storm gaining more than 1.2 million views.

Ed Coll who lives in a yacht in Portsmouth (Ed Coll/PA Wire)

Dog in distress rescued

Saturday 7 December 2024 17:00 , Will Mata Humber Rescue was able to save a "dog in distress" after he was trapped in an estuary for six hours.

Crews saved Buddy on Friday evening at around 10.20pm after the hound had been misisng since around 4pm in Whitton Island, Yorkshire. "Although tired and subdued, Buddy was alive and quickly brought back to the boathouse, where he received plenty of care and attention while awaiting a joyful reunion with his owner," a statement read.

Humber Rescue posted this sweet rescue photo on their social media (Humber Rescue / Facebook)

Restaurant manager's fears after storm causes roof to fall off

Saturday 7 December 2024 16:23 , Josh Salisbury A restaurant manager in Somerset said he was "worried" for people's safety after Storm Darragh caused the roof of a nearby building to partly detach.

Part of Knightstone Road in Weston Super Mare was closed to pedestrians and traffic after pieces of an RNLI station were left flapping around in the strong winds. Jimi, 33, who was working in the Il Michelangelo restaurant situated on the road, said: "If [the roof] does come off, God knows where it's going to land. Hopefully it rips off smoothly and goes on the floor without causing any damage to anybody.

We are worried for people more (than the restaurant)." A number of local businesses on the Weston Super Mare parade were closed on Saturday while others had signs in their windows stating they would open in the evening.

Damaged boarding around a property in Clevedon, Somerset (Harry Stedman/PA Wire)

Famous Welsh pier damaged in storm

Saturday 7 December 2024 16:01 , Josh Salisbury Paul Williams, general manager of Llandudno Pier in North Wales, said it may cost GBP250,000 to repair the damage Storm Darragh caused to the tourist attraction.

He said: "Overnight one of the kiosks, one of the original ones, which is roughly 148-years-old was ripped up. "It's the first time in its history that it has been tipped to one side. "The ice cream stand at the end of the pier has been ripped up and it went into the sea. and there are about a thousand pieces washed up on the other side of the bay.

"The roof has come off the toilet and there's real fear that we'll potentially lose the bar and cafe down the end as well." He added: "Repair-wise you're looking at about GBP250,000, easy."

177,000 homes without power

Saturday 7 December 2024 15:45 , Josh Salisbury The Energy Networks Association said 177,000 homes in England, Scotland and Wales are without power.

A spokesperson said around 768,000 customers have been reconnected on Saturday, with more than 1,000 engineers ready to be deployed.

Essential travel only warning in Northern Ireland

Saturday 7 December 2024 15:41 , Josh Salisbury Authorities have warned people to undertake only essential travel as Storm Darragh continues to lash Northern Ireland. Trains and some bus services were suspended and nearly 50,000 customers left without power as high winds caused severe damage to the electricity network.

A bus was involved in a road crash in Co Antrim in the early hours of Saturday, while Stena Line ferry services from Belfast to Cairnryan in Scotland have been cancelled. A ferry remained off the coast of Co Antrim on Saturday, believed to have been hampered by weather conditions. A major power station reported damage to a chimney from the storm, adding it had halted electricity generation temporarily while the damage was assessed and addressed.

Major incident declared in parts of Wales

Saturday 7 December 2024 14:25 , Josh Salisbury

A major incident has been declared in parts of Wales because of disruption from Storm Darragh. Dyfed-Powys Police said it was continuing to experience high volumes of calls about fallen trees and poor driving conditions. Superintendent Chris Neve said: "I have this morning declared a major incident for the counties of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys, which means that together with our partners, we can call on the resources we need to respond to the challenges brought by Storm Darragh.

"I'd like to reassure the public that at this time, Dyfed-Powys Police is still able to respond to priority calls for service. "We have robust plans in place to respond to Storm Darragh, and we continue to work extremely closely with partner agencies to do so through local resilience arrangements and close working on the ground."

A fallen tree blocking a road on Llantwit road in Pontypridd, Wales (PA Wire)

Storm Darragh causes major disruption in Wales

Saturday 7 December 2024 14:05 , Sami Quadri Storm Darragh has had "very significant effects in many parts of Wales, including on transport, energy infrastructure and property", the Welsh First Minister and her deputy have said.

A joint statement from Eluned Morgan and Huw Irranca-Davies added: "On behalf of everyone, we wish to thank the emergency services and first responders who have been out through the night in dreadful conditions to keep people safe. "Our thanks also to people throughout Wales who heeded the very serious red warning and emergency alert that was issued. "Your actions truly helped the emergency response, and we are grateful.

"Work is ongoing to restore power to homes and reopen parts of the transport network, and our thoughts are with people who have suffered damage to their property and possessions from the storm. "Many warnings and alerts remain in place, in particular around rivers, and people should be vigilant as the effects of Storm Darragh may be felt for some days yet."

Man dies after tree falls onto his van

Saturday 7 December 2024 13:26 , Sami Quadri A man has died during Storm Darragh after a tree fell onto his van in Lancashire.

The man, in his 40s, was driving his Citroen vehicle on the A59 at Longton, near Preston, at about 9am on Saturday. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Detective Sgt Matt Davidson, from Lancashire Police's serious collision investigation unit, said: "Very sadly this incident has resulted in the death of a man and our thoughts are with his loved ones at this time.

"An investigation is ongoing, and I would appeal to anyone who saw what happened or has any dashcam or mobile phone footage to please get in touch."

Fallen trees pictured around the country

Saturday 7 December 2024 12:04 , Josh Salisbury Trees have been pictured falling down amid Storm Darragh's strong winds, with some collapsing onto parked cars.

Part of a fallen tree which has hit a car on Greenbank Road in Liverpool (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

A fallen tree in Cecil Road, Weston-super-Mare (Rob Palfrey/PA Wire)

A fallen tree in Cardiff being cleared away (Stuart Cox/PA Wire)

153 flights cancelled at London Heathrow amid storm disruption

Saturday 7 December 2024 11:15 , Josh Salisbury More than 150 flights taking off or coming into London Heathrow airport have been cancelled today, according to flight tracking websites.

Heavily affected were British Airways and Lufthansa. Air traffic control (ATC) provider Nats earlier said temporary air traffic restrictions are in place at Heathrow and Gatwick in a bid to manage the disruption.

Winds building up as Storm Darragh peaks

Saturday 7 December 2024 10:35 , Josh Salisbury Winds are building up across the country as Storm Darragh peaks.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Steve Willington, said: "Storm Darragh is now moving across the UK bringing very strong winds, heavy rain and in Scotland some snow over the higher ground. "These very strong winds will bring significant disruption, with the risk of flying debris, falling trees, large waves along the coast and power cuts. "During this spell of severe weather it is important to listen to responders and emergency services in your area and keep up to date with the latest weather forecast.

"Storm Darragh will gradually ease from late morning as it crosses the UK, so the strongest winds in the west will start to reduce through Saturday."

86,000 homes without power

Saturday 7 December 2024 09:59 , Josh Salisbury The Energy Networks Association said 86,000 homes in England, Scotland and Wales are without power. A spokesperson said around 385,000 customers have been reconnected overnight, with more than 1,000 engineers ready to be deployed.

Pictured: Fallen tree in Bromley

Saturday 7 December 2024 09:32 , Josh Salisbury

A fallen tree in Bromley (Supplied)

Warning of flight disruption at Gatwick and Heathrow

Saturday 7 December 2024 09:15 , Josh Salisbury

Air traffic control (ATC) provider Nats has said temporary air traffic restrictions are in place at Heathrow and Gatwick due to Storm Darragh. A spokesman said: "Due to Storm Darragh today temporary air traffic restrictions are in place. Restrictions of this sort are only ever applied to maintain safety.

"We are monitoring closely and our Met Office expert embedded within our operation is ensuring we have the latest available information. "Our teams are working closely with airports and airlines to minimise disruption. "Passengers should check the status of their flight with their airline."

A Heathrow Airport spokeswoman said passengers should check with their airlines due to possible disruption.

Around three million given emergency 'stay inside' warning

Saturday 7 December 2024 08:52 , Josh Salisbury Around three million homes have received an emergency alert on their mobile phones as Storm Darragh hits the UK, Jonathan Reynolds said. Speaking to Sky News, the Business Secretary described the storm as a "challenging situation".

He added: "About three million homes will have had the emergency alert system to their mobile phone. I would just encourage anyone who has had that to follow the advice." He added: "Where you can, stay inside, don't put yourself at risk, and just follow the advice at all times."

Pictured: Toppled bins in south London

Saturday 7 December 2024 08:20 , Josh Salisbury

The heavy winds have taken their toll on those leaving their bins overnight. Pictured is the scene from a street in Plumstead Common.

(Supplied)

Flights cancelled over poor weather

Saturday 7 December 2024 08:06 , Josh Salisbury

Flights have been cancelled or delayed due to the poor weather. Dublin airport confirmed it had welcomed a number of flights bound for other airports and were diverted due to the fourth named storm of the season. A number of British airways flights to and from Heathrow, Paris, the United States and the Netherlands were also cancelled.

According to Flight Aware, 72 flights to and from Heathrow have been cancelled in the last 24 hours. The airport said in a message: "Storm Darragh is causing poor weather conditions across the UK, which can cause last-minute delays. "We encourage passengers to check the status of their flight with their airline before travelling to the airport."

Dartford Crossing bridge closed due to high winds

Saturday 7 December 2024 08:00 , Josh Salisbury

National Highways has said the QEII Bridge at Dartford Crossing in has been closed due to strong winds. All traffic is attempting to cross between Essex and Kent is using the Dartford Tunnels. Drivers wishing to travel southbound/clockwise on the M25 are being diverted through the east bore tunnel.

Northbound traffic is being directed to the west bore Dartford tunnel only with a height restriction of 4'8m.

Queen Elizabeth II Bridge (Rex Features)

Winter Wonderland forced to shut up shop over Storm Darragh

Saturday 7 December 2024 07:50 , Josh Salisbury Popular tourist attraction Winter Wonderland will not open today over Storm Darragh.

The attraction said this was because the Royal Parks had decided to close Hyde Park for the day. It told customers in a message: "In line with The Royal Parks' closure of Hyde Park due to high winds, we will not be opening Hyde Park Winter Wonderland on Saturday 7th December 2024."

Capital braces for 55mph winds

Saturday 7 December 2024 07:48 , Josh Salisbury Good morning and welcome to our Storm Darragh live blog.

London is bracing for powerful gusts reaching 55mph, earning the capital a yellow weather warning. Meteorologists caution that flying debris and toppling trees pose significant risks to public safety. The Met Office warns: "It is likely that some roads and bridges could close, with impacts from falling trees

"There is a slight chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage."

Disruption to trains and flights are also expected.

References

^ highest-level red warning for Wales and south-west England, (www.standard.co.uk)
^ weather (www.standard.co.uk)
^ London (www.standard.co.uk)
^ weather warning (www.standard.co.uk)
^ A man was previously confirmed to have died (uk.news.yahoo.com)
^ which is now live (www.bbc.co.uk)
^ the agency states (www.metoffice.gov.uk)
^ Nuray Bulbul and Jordan Page have put this explainer together to put you ahead of the weather. (uk.news.yahoo.com)