Storm Arwen - latest: Three men killed by falling trees as UK hit by heavy snow and 98mph winds

Three men have been killed by falling trees in the UK as Storm Arwen brought “damaging gusts” of winds to parts of the country yesterday.

A man from Lancaster was pronounced dead at the scene after a tree fell on him last night in Ambleside.

Two others died, in Antrim and Abderdeenshire, by trees falling on to their cars.

The Met Office said today that the rare red warning for Storm Arwen has expired. Amber and yellow warnings for wind remain in place.

It comes after gusts of up to 98mph were recorded in Brizlee Wood, Northumberland last night.

Met officials also said gusts of 87mph were recorded in Orlock Head, Down in Northern Ireland and 78mph in Inverbervie, Kincardineshire, in Scotland.

People are still being urged to stay indoors and avoid driving where possible.

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Key Points

• Three killed by falling trees in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland

• 50 people snowed in overnight at UK’s highest pub

• Red warning for Storm Arwen expires

• Storm triggers major travel disruption across Britain

• Met Office raises wind warning to amber for Wales and southwest England

• 15cm of snow forecast for Scotland and northern England

I’m A Celebrity cancelled over weekend after Storm Arwen

18:38 , Liam James

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! shows on Saturday and Sunday have been cancelled after extreme weather conditions caused production difficulties at Gwrych Castle in North Wales.

The show's celebrity contestants are said to be safe inside the castle but the TV show's production base suffered significant damage during Storm Arwen on Friday night.

A statement from ITV said: “I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! will be replaced tonight and tomorrow night in the ITV schedules by compilation shows [voiced by Ant and Dec] featuring best moments from previous series.”

Trees toppled by storm around UK

17:58 , Liam James

Storm Arwen blew winds nearing 100mph in some areas and led to damage and destruction around the UK.

Fallen trees have been seen in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.

Three men were killed by falling trees during the storm.

Man killed by falling tree in Aberdeenshire

17:05 , Liam James

A man was killed in Aberdeenshire during Storm Arwen, police have confirmed.

The 35-year-old was driving a Nissan Navara pick-up truck on the B977 between Dyce and Hatton of Fintray when it was struck by a falling tree at about 5.45pm on Friday.

Two other men, in Lancashire and Antrim, Northern Ireland, were earlier today announced to have been killed by falling trees in the storm.

Pictures: People spotted skiing on snow covered gold course in Scotland

14:41 , Emily Atkinson

Storm Arwen triggers major travel disruption across Britain

14:17 , Emily Atkinson

People across the UK have been faced with travel disruption as Storm Arwen led to the closure of roads and rail routes.

The Met Office had issued weather warnings overnight and in the early hours of Saturday, with parts of the country seeing 100mph gales and snow.

National Rail has a warning on its website saying “severe weather” has affected rail routes in England, Scotland and Wales, urging customers to “check” services before travelling.

CrossCountry trains said the line between Newcastle and Edinburgh is closed all day, while other lines have been affected by trees and debris on the tracks.

Grand Central, London North Eastern Railway, Lumo, Northern and TransPennine Express services all advised passengers “not to travel” across the north-east of England on Saturday.

Great Western Railway said lines in Wales have been “blocked”, while many Transport for Wales rail services have been suspended.

All Avanti West Coast services north of Carlisle were cancelled on Saturday, with customers “strongly advised” not to attempt to travel on the route. Other services are running but may be subject to delays of 120 minutes.

ScotRail services were disrupted between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street, Dunblane and Stirling after a barn was blown on to the line close to Polmont, near Falkirk.

East Midlands Railway, Northern Rail, South Western Railway, Merseyrail services also had delays and cancellations, with some being affected by a number of trees on the network.

Met Office urge people to ‘look out for loved ones’ as after effects of Storm Arwen hit UK

14:02 , Emily Atkinson

50 people forced to camp in pub overnight following snow storm

13:45 , Emily Atkinson

Around 50 people were forced to bed down overnight at the Tan Hill Inn as snow swept in and buried their vehicles.

Many had travelled to the remote boozer in Richmond to watch an Oasis tribute band called ‘Noasis’ perform on Friday night.

But by 9pm it became clear that nobody would be able to make the journey home and many had to sleep in makeshift beds on the floor of the bar.

When they awoke on Saturday morning the pub - which is 1,732ft above sea level - was buried in parts under snow drifts.

Local roads have become impassable and the guests were still being advised to remain in the building at lunchtime on Saturday.

Tan Hill Inn owner Mike Kenny said: “We recommended anyone in the pub to stay out rather than endanger life on the snow covered moors.

“No one is going anywhere yet. The police advised we all stay out for now. Our snowplough is snowed in!”

SWNS

More showers ‘possible’ in North and East of England

13:30 , Emily Atkinson

The latest from the Met Office:

Winds destroy Christmas attraction on ‘world’s oldest railway'

13:16 , Emily Atkinson

Storm Arwen’s winds have destroyed the North Pole Express attraction, a “magical” Christmas attraction on the “world’s oldest railway”.

The sold-out, 90-minute experience is popular with families who take the train from East Tanfield station in North Yorkshire to see Santa and receive a Christmas present.

A volunteer from Tanfield Railway, where trains run on a rail dating to 1725, said the damage is “really disappointing”.

“There’s a lot of hard work put in (and) a lot of volunteer time put in,” David Watchman told the PA news agency.

“We’ve seen some extreme weather, we’re always prepared... but the winds were on a different level last night, and there’s only so much you can tie down and prepare for.

“It’s been totally different to what we’ve experienced before.”

Pictures: Colossal waves crash against seawall in Hartlepool

13:00 , Emily Atkinson

How to navigate difficult weather conditions

12:40 , Emily Atkinson

Find Met Office advice on driving in severe weather conditions here.

Hartlepool holiday park ravaged by Storm Arwen gusts

12:20 , Emily Atkinson

Firth of Forth records 11m high waves

12:00 , Emily Atkinson

Waves up to 11m in height have been recorded in the Firth of Forth, Scotland, as weather warnings of strong winds remain in force across the UK.

Power cuts and disruption to transport links have also been widely reported. Some of the worst impacted areas include Aberdeenshire, Angus, Perthshire and the Moray coast.

Chief meteorologist Steve Ramsdale, said: “Storm Arwen has delivered some dangerously strong winds overnight, with gusts in excess of 90mph recorded and sustained windspeeds of over 60mph. The strong winds will move south across the UK through the day, gradually weakening.

“Warnings are in still in force through the day and there has been widespread disruption so check and follow advice from local authorities before you head out.

“There is a chance of snow in some locations, particularly the higher ground in Scotland and Northern England where we have already seen some accumulations. Any snow falling at lower levels is likely to be short lived.”

Strong winds and heavy snowfall cause major railway disruption across UK

11:45 , Emily Atkinson

People have been advised to be wary of travelling on Saturday, as train networks across the UK reported disruption to services.

All Avanti West Coast services North of Carlisle were cancelled on Saturday, with customers “strongly advised” not to attempt to travel on the route. Other services are running but may be subject to delays of 120 minutes.

ScotRail services were disrupted between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street, Dunblane and Stirling after a barn was blown on to the line close to Polmont, near Falkirk.

TransPennine Express customers were urged not to travel, with services between Newcastle and Edinburgh cancelled.

South Western Railway expected disruption on Saturday morning due to “multiple trees and obstructions blocking the railway”, while London North East Railway warned customers not to travel north of York due to “significant damage”.

Dorset Council reported that trees and power cables had fallen on roads in the area, while road closures were reported more widely in the worst-affected parts of northern England and Scotland.

PA

House falls and crushes car in Sunderland

11:25 , Emily Atkinson

Yellow weather warning of high winds issued until 6pm today

11:15 , Emily Atkinson

The Met Office have issued a new yellow weather warning of high winds expected to persist until 6pm this evening.

Tweeting this morning, they said the weather conditions are likely to continue to cause “some travel disruption and damage.”

100,000 homes left without power in Scotland this morning

11:05 , Emily Atkinson

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) have confirmed that, as of this morning, 75,000 homes in Scotland were still without power due to the damage caused by the storm.

The firm has restored power to more than 40,000 homes, but warned the weather was stalling its work.

The main areas affected include Aberdeenshire, Angus, Perthshire and the Moray coast.

Mark Rough, director of customer operations at SSEN, said: “The impact of Storm Arwen continues to be felt across much of the country and has resulted in significant damage to our network across the north of Scotland.

“Our teams have been out since first light this morning to fully assess the extent of damage, supported by helicopter patrols to identify the worst affected areas, as we continue to restore power to customers in what remains very challenging conditions.

“Despite detailed preparations, the prolonged and severe nature of the weather continues to hamper efforts to restore supplies, with the high winds only subsiding from the early hours of this morning.

He apologised to customers for the inconvenience and said further updates will be given at 1.30pm.

Scotland records snowfall of around 15cm amid blizzards

10:55 , Emily Atkinson

A few inches of snow fell across Scotland and parts of England last night, with more expected to have fallen during the morning.

Marco Petagna, a Met Office forecaster, said: “We’ve seen some pretty severe gusts overnight with the highest speeds hitting 98mph at Brizlee Wood in Northumberland.

“Elsewhere, exposed sites in Scotland and Northern Ireland also surpassed 90mph, with 70-80mph seen more widely in the north of the UK, though parts of southern England and Wales also felt the effects of the storm.

“This has been coupled with a few inches of snow which has fallen in some areas.

“In the higher ground areas of Scotland we expected to see up to 15cm falling but the strong winds meant the snow blew around and created a blizzard in some parts.”

Temperatures to stay at ‘mid single figures’ in UK today

10:39 , Emily Atkinson

Temperatures will not rise above mid-single figures in the UK today but continued strong winds will make it “feel much colder”, the Met Office have warned.

Maximum temperatures in most parts of the UK will not go beyond 7C, with average highs of 6C recorded in the East Midlands, south east, south west and north east of England.

In the north west of the country, temperatures are predicted to stay below 4C. In northern Scotland, the maximum is 3C.

Meanwhile in Northern Ireland, temperatures will remain under 5C. The same is expected on England’s south coast.

Rain, sleet and snow continue to fall as Storm Arwen begins to clear

10:10 , Emily Atkinson

The latest from the Met Office:

Photographs show huge waves in Sunderland created by 100mph gusts

09:55 , Emily Atkinson

Photographs taken by the PA news agency have shown colossal waves crashing against the sea wall and Roker Lighthouse in Sunderland created by gusts of almost 100mph.

It follows the Met Office’s decision to issue a rare red warning for wind from 3pm on Friday to 2am on Saturday as the first winter storm raged through the country.

Snow settling on roads in southern England and Midlands

09:40 , Emily Atkinson

The Met Office has warned that snow is starting to settle on roads in southern England and the Midlands.

It comes after a yellow weather warning for heavy snow was issued for these areas last night, staying in force until 10am this morning.

All roads reopened on M1 northbound following closure

09:30 , Emily Atkinson

M1 in South Yorkshire closed following heavy snowfall

09:25 , Emily Atkinson

The M1 motorway in South Yorkshire has been closed northbound between J36 and J37 due to heavy snowfall, according to reports.

It comes after routes westbound and eastbound between junction 21 and 22 were suspended on the M26 in West Yorkshire as a result of the extreme weather conditions.

Man dies after being hit by falling tree in Ambleside

09:10 , Emily Atkinson

A man from Lancaster has died after a tree fell on to him last night in Ambleside.

Emergency services, including Fire, Search and Rescue, Ambulance and Police, were called to the scene at 11pm yesterday (26 November).

The man who was from Lancaster sadly died at the scene.

The Cumbria Constabulary said: “Police and partner agencies are attending the scene as the tree remains dangerous and the public is asked to avoid the area until the tree has been made safe.”

Strong winds to settle down by Sunday, say Met Office

09:00 , Emily Atkinson

The strong winds brought the the UK by Storm Arwen are set to ease off come Sunday, say the Met Office, as gusts of up to 70 mph continue to blow in certain parts of Britain.

According to Met officials, early rain, sleet and snow over eastern, southern and central England will gradually become confined to eastern and southeastern England today.

Wintry showers are set to continue in the north of the country, while other areas can expected welcome sunny spells.

Wintry showers in the north and east, and a few showers western Wales and Cornwall, are likely to pick up into tonight.. Otherwise, most can expect generally dry weather and clear spells and the winds begin to settle down.

By Sunday morning, the winds are expected to have died down, although the cold temperatures will endure. Further wintry showers in the north and east can also be expected.

“Damaging gusts” ravage parts of UK overnight

08:40 , Emily Atkinson

‘I’m a Celebrity’: live show cancelled for first time ever over Storm Arwen fears

08:25 , Emily Atkinson

In case you missed it...

Last night’s (26 November) I’m A Celebrity live episode was yesterday cancelled over continuing Storm Arwen fears.

It’s the first time in the show’s 19-year history that a live show has been cancelled in what ITV bosses have called a “precautionary” measure.

Elizabeth Aubrey reports:

‘I’m a Celebrity’: live show cancelled for first time ever over Storm Arwen fears

Disrupted train service between Sheffield and Liverpool now running

08:15 , Emily Atkinson

Previously disrupted services between Liverpool, Nottingham and Sheffield have been allowed to run again, East Midlands Railway have said.

Tweeting this morning, the service also warned that some delays and alterations to their routes may continue.

M26 westbound reopened in West Yorkshire

08:05 , Emily Atkinson

All lanes between junctions 24 and 26 on the M26 westbound have reopened, say reports.

M26 closed due to heavy snowfall

07:50 , Emily Atkinson

The M26 in West Yorkshire has been closed westbound and eastbound between junction 21 and 22 due to the heavy snow and strong winds, according to reports.

The North West Motorway Police are also attempting to recovering an overturned lorry between junctions 7 and 8 eastbound, set to be cleared shortly “once closures have been cleared.”

Police have also urged drivers to “check the weather conditions” before setting off this morning.

Derbyshire Police urge motorists to avoid non-essential journeys

07:40 , Emily Atkinson

Derbyshire Police have issued a plea to motorists in the north of the county to avoid any non-essential journeys.

Tweeting this morning, police said: “We are urging motorists to avoid making any non-essential journeys due to the continued poor weather across the north of the county.

“Heavy snow in the High Peak and Derbyshire Dales has made many routes treacherous. Stay home if you can.”

Britain still recording gusts of 60-70mph

07:30 , Emily Atkinson

Gust speeds of 60-70mph are still being recorded across more exposed locations in the UK, the Met Office has said.

According to a recent tweet, amber warnings for strong winds have been issued in both Newcastle and the south-west coast.

Meanwhile, continued snow, sleet and rainfall is expected around Britain into Saturday morning. The Met Office have warned those travelling first thing to remain “aware” of the conditions.

Electricity North West says it is 'responding to high number of power cuts'

06:45 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Electricity North West, in a statement, said they were “experiencing high demand across the network” on Friday night due to Storm Arwen.

“We are currently responding to a high number of power cuts affecting multiple areas across the north west. Engineers are assessing the damage to the network and will continue to work through the night to restore power where possible. Due to the strong winds, some repairs will be delayed until weather conditions allow our teams to safely restore power,” it said.

Warrington police urge public to make only 'essential journeys'

06:37 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Police in Warrington has asked the public to only make “essential journeys during the severe weather.”

In a tweet, the Warrington Police said: “Please be careful when travelling tonight. There is a weather warning in place due to strong winds. We have had plenty of fallen trees so slow down and take extra care. The driver from this was lucky and didn’t have a scratch! Only make essential journeys to minimise risk.”

Brizlee Wood, Northumberland record strong wind speed of 98mph

06:36 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Met Office said Storm Arwen brought “damaging gusts” of winds across a wide swathe of the UK, adding that Brizlee Wood, Northumberland recorded a wind speed of 98mph.

Met officials also said gusts of 87mph were recorded in Orlock Head, Down in Northern Ireland and 78mph in Inverbervie, Kincardineshire, in Scotland.

While the ‘rare’ red warning has now expired, amber and yellow warnings for wind remain in place.

More than 120 lorries stuck in snow as police shut motorway

04:37 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The North West Motorway Police has said that around 120 lorries are stuck in the snow on the M62 at junctions 21 and 22 and urged motorists to avoid the area.

The M62 was closed in both directions between junctions 21 (Milnrow) and 22 (Denshaw), and police urged drivers to stay away from the area.

The North West Motorway Polic tweeted: “Heavy snow falling on M62 between junction 21 and 22, HGV’s unable to move. Highways England and gritters are on route [sic].”

Earlier a lorry overturned on the M62’s eastbound carriages near Junction 7, reports said.

Several crashes were also reported across the UK and many roads were closed due to the weather. In Northern Ireland, the headteacher of a primary school was killed when a tree feel on his car.

More than 80,000 homes in the UK without power

03:47 , Maroosha Muzaffar

More than 80,000 homes in the UK are currently without electricity as Storm Arwen continues to cause major disruptions.

Power supplier Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said that it has “moved to red alert status for its north of Scotland area following the impact of Storm Arwen, which continues to bring widespread disruption.”

On its website, SSEN said that as of 8pm Friday “SSEN has experienced over 250 high voltage faults due to fallen trees, branches, and other wind-blown debris striking network infrastructure.”

It added that “operational teams have restored power to over 30,000 customers, with 80,000 currently remaining off supply. The main areas affected are Aberdeenshire, Angus, Perthshire and the Moray Coast.”

Will Lang, the head of civil contingencies at the Met Office, had said earlier that the UK will see “temperatures drop to below average in the coming days, as cold air is drawn in from the north. This is coupled with the strong winds associated with Storm Arwen, which means it will feel especially cold in the wind.”

He added that areas in the north will see temperatures below freezing overnight, with daytime maximum temperatures only getting into the low single figures.

Red warning for Storm Arwen expires

03:27 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Met Office said on Saturday that the red warning — the highest level — for Storm Arwen has now expired.

But it said that the amber and yellow warnings for wind remain in place.

“The red warning has now expired, but amber and yellow warnings for wind remain in place as Storm Arwen continues to bring some very strong gusts to many areas,” the Met Office tweeted on Saturday morning.

The office had earlier issued a red warning — which means that there was a potential risk to life.

Weather officials also said that “many roads remain closed so please only travel if absolutely necessary.”

Motorists abandon vehicles due to impassable roads, say Derbyshire Police

01:30 , Rory Sullivan

Derbyshire Police have also taken to social media to advise motorists to avoid certain routes.

Some roads appear to have become impassable, with the force saying that some drivers had become stuck and had to abandon their vehicles.

Stay inside and avoid driving, says Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service

00:00 , Rory Sullivan

Merseyside Fire & Rescue service have advised people to stay indoors and avoid driving due to the strong weather that is sweeping across the country.

Here’s the tweet they posted late on Friday evening: