Storm Ashley has wreaked havoc across the British Isles as gale force winds grounded flights and caused flooding and power cuts.

The Met Office has issued ‘danger to life’ warnings from 9am until midnight, with Scotland and parts of Ireland set to face the brunt of the first named storm of the season.

Dozens of flights in Dublin and Belfast have been cancelled due to the storm, with severe delays also reported throughout Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

At Belfast City Airport, passengers reported being stuck on the runway for hours as they couldn’t get off because of the wind.

The River Severn burst its banks in Worcester, leaving cars trapped in floodwater. The Worcestershire County Club became waterlogged as well.

Tens of thousands of homes had their power cut off by Storm Ashley. In the Republic of Ireland, 53,000 were left without power while another 4,000 customers had no power at about 5.30pm in Northern Ireland.

The Great Southern Run, which was set to take place in Portsmouth today, has also been called off after organisers said they couldn’t guarantee the safety of runners.

National Rail warned of strong winds affecting journeys in Scotland, Wales and northern England until 9am on Monday. Some trains might have to run slower while strong winds could cause trees to fall on railways.

An ‘Enchanted Forest’ attraction in Pitlochry, Perthshire, has also been forced to close, after organisers stressed the safety of staff and attendees was ‘of the utmost importance’.

A statement from the organisers of the light show said: ‘Our operations team met on site this morning to assess the site conditions in light of Storm Ashley and various weather warnings and, in the interest of public safety, they have affirmed that it is not safe for the show to go ahead this evening.’

There are 44 active flood warnings in place across England, and 96 flood alerts, meaning severe flooding is possible in several locations.

The warnings include multiple areas of the River Severn, the south Cornwall coast and the Wye Estuary, the Enviroment Agency has confirmed.

The agency has urged people affected by the floods to move to higher ground or the upper floor of a building, move their loved ones, pets and valuables to a safe place and put flood protection equipment in place in case they experience flooding.

Forecasters have also warned to prepare for power cuts, damage to buildings and bridge closures as people travelling by road, rail, air and ferry are expected to face severe delays.

A yellow warning for wind came into place for the entirety of Scotland and Northern Ireland and parts of north-west England and Wales at 3am and runs until midnight on Sunday.

An amber warning for the north-west of Scotland has been issued from 9am until midnight with the weather service warning ‘injuries and danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties’.

Natural Resources Wales said there are three flood warnings and 13 flood alerts in place, while 16 flood warnings have been issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency along with 17 alerts.

Met Office meteorologist Dan Stroud said ‘very strong, severe gales’ on Sunday coincide with high spring tides, which could also result in ‘very large waves’.

The north of Scotland will remain under a yellow warning for wind from midnight until 9am on Monday.

Further south, the Met Office has issued a yellow warning for the south-west of England and South Wales until midday on Sunday with a threat of disruption to travel with flooding and possible interruptions to power supplies.

Mr Stroud said strong, gale force winds are due to continue through to Monday morning meaning ‘fallen debris and trees’ could impact commuters at the start of the week.

Road users in Scotland have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel where possible, while Sunday’s annual Great South Run in Portsmouth, Hampshire, has been cancelled because of weather-related safety concerns.

Police Scotland have advised motorists to ‘plan ahead and avoid unnecessary travel where possible’ ahead of the ‘strong likelihood’ of disruption on roads, while Transport Scotland has warned of likely delays to public transport, including the country’s ferry network.

Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, Police Scotland’s head of road policing, said: ‘Make sure your vehicle has sufficient fuel and is completely roadworthy, with tyre pressure and tread meeting legal requirements.

‘Ensure your mobile phone is fully charged in the event you need to call for assistance and if it is likely you may be within your vehicle for long periods of time, take additional clothing and water with you.’

Ferry operator CalMac said many of its services on the west coast of Scotland had been cancelled for the day on Sunday with several others liable to be disrupted.

The Met Office said Sunday will be a ‘widely windy day’ with storm-force winds in the northwest.

Rain will spread eastwards ahead of sunny spells, but with gusty winds moving east during the afternoon.

Meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer said: ‘Parts of western Scotland could see gusts of 70-80mph during the afternoon. It will turn drier and brighter across much of England and Wales with some sunny spells during the afternoon.’

Winds are expected to ease on Monday with rain moving into the south east. The north is expected to remaining blustery for much of the week.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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