Sting in Ophelia's tail: Britain braces for another day of chaos as 77mph winds hit Scotland and the North with trees blocking rail lines - while 330,000 are still without power in Ireland

  • 77mph gusts in Scotland today with flooding expected as Britain is hit by tail end of Hurricane Ophelia
  • Trees blocking train lines in West Yorkshire, Manchester and Scotland after being blown over in high winds 
  • Schools on both sides of Irish border remain closed for second day as authorities begin to assess damage

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Hurricane Ophelia is sweeping havoc across Britain today as it brings wind gusts of more than 75mph to England and Scotland, blocks train lines with downed trees and threatens further power cuts.

Three people died in Ireland yesterday as it was hit by hurricane-force winds and 330,000 people were left without power overnight, while roofs were ripped off buildings and flights were forced to turn around.

Scotland has faced 77mph gusts and parts of its west coast are under flood warnings, while in England several trees were blocking the train line between Halifax and Bradford Interchange in West Yorkshire.

There was a further report of a landslip on the line and commuters were warned poor road conditions could hit rail replacement services. Virgin Trains said a tree blocking the railway at Lockerbie was also causing disruption.

In addition, trains could not run between Manchester Airport and Wilmslow station in Cheshire after a tree fell on overhead electrical wires, and the Met Office warned of further problems to plane and ferry services today.

High winds and foam from the sea make driving conditions difficult in Cleveleys, Lancashire, with one car covered today

High winds and foam from the sea make driving conditions difficult in Cleveleys, Lancashire, with one car covered today

Zara the Sprocker dog runs through the seafont foam on the Blackpool promenade in Lancashire this morning

Zara the Sprocker dog runs through the seafont foam on the Blackpool promenade in Lancashire this morning

High winds and foam spraying from the sea making driving conditions difficult in Cleveleys, Lancashire, this morning

High winds and foam spraying from the sea making driving conditions difficult in Cleveleys, Lancashire, this morning

Drivers have trouble making their way along Cleveleys in Lancashire as foam from the sea sprays over onto the promenade

Drivers have trouble making their way along Cleveleys in Lancashire as foam from the sea sprays over onto the promenade

Strong winds gusts hitting South Wales have created huge waves, including this one in the Pembrokeshire town of Dale

Strong winds gusts hitting South Wales have created huge waves, including this one in the Pembrokeshire town of Dale

An HGV became a victim of the gale force winds today as it toppled over on the M6 in Cumbria this morning

An HGV became a victim of the gale force winds today as it toppled over on the M6 in Cumbria this morning

The accident involving the HGV this morning happened on the M6 between Hackthorpe and Shap in Cumbria

The accident involving the HGV this morning happened on the M6 between Hackthorpe and Shap in Cumbria

Rail services between Edinburgh and Aberdeen, Dundee, Fife and Perth have been suspended after a freight train is thought to have hit a tree on the line near Markinch. Disruption is expected until midday, Scotrail said.

Services have also been hit between Glasgow and Edinburgh due to a branch hitting overhead lines in Bellshill. 

Meanwhile, schools on both sides of the Irish border will remain closed for a second day as authorities begin to assess the damage. Ireland saw winds of up to 119mph damaging electricity networks and causing disruption.

Chuck Watson, a disaster modeller at Enki Research in Savannah, Georgia, told Bloomberg that damages from Hurricane Ophelia in Ireland could reach £1.4billion.  

Current wind speeds
Met Office weather warning

High wind speeds over northern Scotland are seen this morning (left), and a Met Office weather warning is displayed (right)

Rail workers with a chainsaw clear trees from the tracks near Markinch, Fife, where a freight train hit a tree during Ophelia

Rail workers with a chainsaw clear trees from the tracks near Markinch, Fife, where a freight train hit a tree during Ophelia

Vehicles make their way through flooding in Glasgow as Scotland is hit by the tail end of Hurricane Ophelia this morning

Vehicles make their way through flooding in Glasgow as Scotland is hit by the tail end of Hurricane Ophelia this morning

Cars and vans splash through flooding in Glasgow
The Met Office warned of difficult conditions on the roads today

Cars and vans splash through flooding in Glasgow as the Met Office warned of difficult conditions on the roads today

An emergency power crew work on a fallen electricity pole in Doagh, Ballyclare, after Ophelia battered Northern Ireland

An emergency power crew work on a fallen electricity pole in Doagh, Ballyclare, after Ophelia battered Northern Ireland

Today, the Met Office reduced the area covered by a yellow weather warning, but said a spell of 'very windy weather is likely'. The forecast added: 'Some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs, could happen.'

Worst storms to hit UK 

September 12 & 13, 2011: Hurricane Katia kills one as winds up to 81mph and giant waves cause transport chaos and topple building roofs and trees.

October 28 & 29, 1996: Hurricane Lili kills five people as winds of up to 90mph cause £150million of damage.

October 15-16, 1987: Southern England’s ‘Great Storm‘ kills 18 people as 115mph winds uproot 15million trees.

September 16, 1961: Hurricane Debbie’s 112mph winds kill six in Northern Ireland and 12 in the Republic of Ireland.

January 31 & February 1, 1953: Huge winds and spring tides cause storm surge along east coast. More than 300 die, including 133 on Princess Victoria ferry near Belfast.

October 14, 1881: ‘Black Friday’ storm hits Berwickshire, Scotland, as almost 200 fishermen drown.

November 26, 1703: Hurricane tears across East Anglia, obliterating villages and killing between 8,000 and 15,000. Known as worst storm in British history.

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Northern Ireland, South West Scotland, North West England and North West Wales are no longer covered by the warning, but South West Scotland, parts of North East England and Yorkshire are still subject to the warning.

Forecaster Steven Keates said commuters should expect 'very gusty conditions', with winds of up to 70mph. He said: 'The strong winds will continue but should moderate a little bit compared to what we have seen.

'There's still a risk of gales and it's still strong enough to cause disruption, but a little bit down on what we have seen.'

Around 330,000 homes and business were still without power last night following the worst storm on record on the island of Ireland.

Help from Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK is expected to be drafted in tomorrow to help restore power, ESB, the Republic of Ireland's electricity network, said.

Police Scotland said a number of homes in Dumfries and Galloway have lost power but all major roads in the region remain open despite fallen trees and branches disrupting some routes. 

Meanwhile the roof of a scout hut in Castle Douglas was blown off and there have been reports of collapsed scaffolding in Dumfries.

The force said: 'At this time we have no reports of anyone being injured in the region. A number of homes in the region have remained without power overnight and efforts are underway to bring power back to those affected.

'In this regard communities are asked to check on those who might be described as vulnerable neighbours and, where safe to do so, to check on their welfare.

'Winds are still strong across the region and again drivers are asked to drive to the conditions, and prepare for the unexpected as they go along.'

Planes land at eeds Bradford Airport in West Yorkshire today as parts of Britain are hit by the remnants of Hurricane Ophelia

Planes land at Leeds Bradford Airport in West Yorkshire today as parts of Britain are hit by the remnants of Hurricane Ophelia

A plane approaches the runway at Leeds Bradford Airport as parts of Britain continue to be hit by poor weather conditions

A plane approaches the runway at Leeds Bradford Airport as parts of Britain continue to be hit by poor weather conditions

A motorist drives through floodwater from a raging Irish Sea on the Cumbrian Coast this morning

A motorist drives through floodwater from a raging Irish Sea on the Cumbrian Coast this morning

A van drives through dangerous conditions on the coast of Cumbria this morning as waves are whipped up by Ophelia

A van drives through dangerous conditions on the coast of Cumbria this morning as waves are whipped up by Ophelia

A woman walks through the Irish Sea on the Cumbrian Coast this morning amid bad weather conditions in northern England

A woman walks through the Irish Sea on the Cumbrian Coast this morning amid bad weather conditions in northern England

Front of a block of flats is brought down in high winds

The front of a block of flats has been brought down in high winds as Storm Ophelia sweeps across Scotland.

The block in the south side of Glasgow, which was earmarked for partial demolition, came down at about 4am today as the storm passed over from Ireland.

Glasgow City Council said an exclusion zone had already been put around the block due to the planned work and no-one was injured in the collapse. 

The scene in Crosshill, in the south side of Glasgow, after the front of a block of flats, which are due for demolition, was brought down

The scene in Crosshill, in the south side of Glasgow, after the front of a block of flats, which are due for demolition, was brought down

The block in the south side of Glasgow came down at about 4am today as the storm passed over from Ireland

The block in the south side of Glasgow came down at about 4am today as the storm passed over from Ireland

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said the tenement in Albert Road housed private flats and had been empty for more than a year due to structural concerns around the windows.

She said: 'Responsibility for repairing the property lies with the private owners, however the council had offered them financial assistance to help with the cost of repair.

'Stabilisation works to the property and removal of the bay window areas were due to commence on site within the next two weeks following the appointment of a contractor, by the owners' agent.

'Unfortunately, Storm Ophelia hit the city and there was a collapse.

'The exclusion zone did its job and contained the debris and, because we previously evacuated the building, no-one was hurt.'  

Glasgow City Council said the tenement in Albert Road housed private flats and had been empty for more than a year

Glasgow City Council said the tenement in Albert Road housed private flats and had been empty for more than a year

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Part of the roof of a stand at National League team Barrow AFC has been ripped off by the wind. 

Police in the town warned people to avoid Wilkie Road, which runs behind the football club's Furness Building Society Stadium, as the fire service assessed the damage.

Last night, Cumbria Police said gusts had reached up to 70mph in exposed coastal areas, with reports throughout the county of fallen trees, debris and roofs on the roads and damaged overhead cables.

Cheshire Police tweeted that they dealt with 129 wind-related incidents between 2.15pm and midnight on Monday, with many reports of trees down. More than 130 trees were cleared from roads on the Isle of Man.

Ophelia brought down a large pine tree into a home in the Gwynedd market town of Dolgellau in North West Wales

Ophelia brought down a large pine tree into a home in the Gwynedd market town of Dolgellau in North West Wales

Residents look at fallen trees that were blown down by Storm Ophelia onto a road in Ireland's south west city of Cork today

Residents look at fallen trees that were blown down by Storm Ophelia onto a road in Ireland's south west city of Cork today

A section of a roof blown away at Quarry Bank High Street in the West Midlands after Storm Ophelia hit the UK last night

A section of a roof blown away at Quarry Bank High Street in the West Midlands after Storm Ophelia hit the UK last night

Bricks are pictured on the floor after a section of a house roof blown away in the West Midlands after Ophelia hit the UK

Bricks are pictured on the floor after a section of a house roof blown away in the West Midlands after Ophelia hit the UK

A dramatic sunrise over Charmouth in Dorset this morning as other parts of the UK experience bad weather conditions

A dramatic sunrise over Charmouth in Dorset this morning as other parts of the UK experience bad weather conditions

Police spokesman Sergeant Alan Shimmin said: 'I am grateful to the public for heeding our advice regarding not making unnecessary journeys.

'This has allowed the police and our partners to manage the results of the adverse weather conditions as safely and efficiently as possible and there have not been any reported injuries as a result.'

A cancer nurse Clare O'Neill, a young father and the youngest of 11 siblings were identified as the three victims killed by Ophelia in Ireland – named, respectively, as Clare O'Neill, Fintan Goss, 33, and Michael Pyke, 31. 

Mrs O'Neill was killed when her car was struck head-on by a section of a tree near Aglish, in Co Waterford. A branch smashed through the windscreen and it is believed that it struck her with full force straight in the chest.

Stunned onlookers saw a twister in the sky during freak weather conditions over Caton near Lancaster yesterday afternoon

Stunned onlookers saw a twister in the sky during freak weather conditions over Caton near Lancaster yesterday afternoon

High winds caused the Derrynane Stand at Turners Cross Stadium, home of Cork City Football Club, to collapse yesterday

High winds caused the Derrynane Stand at Turners Cross Stadium, home of Cork City Football Club, to collapse yesterday

The first of three people to die as a result of yesterday¿s devastating weather conditions was cancer nurse, Clare O¿Neill

The first of three people to die as a result of yesterday's devastating weather conditions was cancer nurse, Clare O'Neill

Michael Pyke
Fintan Goss

Michael Pyke (left) died while clearing a tree in the Ballybrado area. Finton Goss's (right) car was struck by a tree, killing him

Mr Pyke, of Ardfinnan, Co. Tipperary, died while clearing a fallen tree in the Ballybrado area near Cahir. He was hit by a falling branch and died at the scene. It's understood he went to cut up a tree that fell on a road near his home.

Married father-of-two Mr Goss was killed when a tree fell on his car as he travelled home. He was the brother of Colin, a former Louth footballer, who ran for Fine Gael in the 2014 elections for Dundalk-Carlingford.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Theresa May spoke to Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar yesterday afternoon to offer support to affected areas.

A Downing Street spokesman said: 'On Storm Ophelia, the Prime Minister expressed her sympathies for the loss of life and said the UK Government stood ready to provide any support if requested.'  

It's hit the woodwork! Michael Owen's goal in his back garden is crushed by a tree blown over in high winds 

Michael Owen's goal in his back garden has been crushed by a tree blown over in high winds during Ophelia.

The former England footballer tweeted a photograph of the broken goal after a tree trunk was split in half by the gusts.

Owen, 37, now a football pundit and racehorse owner, said: 'Assessing the damage to our goal this morning.'

The goal was in a mangled heap in the picture believed to have been taken at his home in Northorp, North Wales. 

Former England striker Michael Owen tweeted a photograph of the broken goal after a tree trunk was split in half by the gusts

Former England striker Michael Owen tweeted a photograph of the broken goal after a tree trunk was split in half by the gusts

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