Christmas travel latest: Chaos at Dover as drivers face long queues amid Met Office weather warning

Hundreds of drivers trying to catch ferries abroad in the festive getaway faced big snarl-ups at the port of Dover, some left stuck in long queues.

Port chiefs warned warned that only those who had booked would be able to travel, saying it was taking about 90 minutes to process cars with pre-booked tickets.

The delay was put down to a surge in demand for ferries after the Channel Tunnel rail link was closed on Thursday due to unscheduled industrial action by French workers, which ruined the travel plans of tens of thousands of people.

Storm Pia has unleashed Christmas travel chaos as flights are grounded due to high winds, after a sudden French strike forced the Eurotunnel to close on Thursday.

British Airways grounded at least 20 short-haul flights from London Heathrow.

RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “With this latest weather warning affecting a large area of Scotland and parts of northern England, there is the chance travellers’ last-minute getaway trips could be disrupted.

“For this reason, we urge drivers to be on their guard for debris in the road, including branches and possibly even trees, especially along more rural routes.”

Key Points

• British Airways apologies after cancelling more flights on Friday

• Eurostar and Eurotunnel resume services after sudden strike closes Channel Tunnel

• Festive rail getaway resumes – with peak predicted on Saturday

• Motorists advised to travel before 11am or after 6pm on last working day before Christmas

• Where are this week’s remaining weather warnings in force?

• Highly likely there will be a white Christmas, Met Office says

More car journeys than last Christmas

05:00 , Jane Dalton

The RAC estimated 13.5 million leisure journeys by car would take place across the UK between Friday and Sunday, up 20 per cent on the three days before Christmas Day last year.

Motorists were advised to travel before 11am or after 6pm if possible to reduce the chance of being stuck in long queues.

Recap: Transport disrupted and trees uprooted as Storm Pia pummels UK

04:00 , Jane Dalton

In Pictures: Transport disrupted and trees uprooted as Storm Pia pummels UK

London’s Euston waits: in pictures

02:50 , Jane Dalton

Winds and rain predicted to spoil Christmas

00:55 , Jane Dalton

The Met Office has warned there could be more weather-related travel hold-ups in parts of the UK this weekend.

Christmas Eve travel plans could be ruined with heavy winds set to batter parts of the country ahead of a rain-soaked Monday.

Gusts as high as 60 to 70 mph are due to hit the north of Scotland and northern and central areas of England.

Two separate yellow wind warnings have been issued, the Met Office saying people should expect travel disruption, damage to buildings and power cuts, while the rest of the country may see showers.

Passengers hit by rail cancellations and delays

23:35 , Jane Dalton

Rail travel problems hit passengers trying to get away three days before Christmas.

Southeastern said a shortage of available train crew was continuing to disrupt its services on Friday.

Services on the Sheerness line were suspended at 10am for the rest of the day, and there are cancellations on the high-speed line to and from London St Pancras throughout the day.

The Elizabeth line suffered severe delays on Friday afternoon between London Paddington, Reading and Heathrow Airport after two trains broke down.

Network Rail said disruption was expected between Mansfield and Worksop for the end of the day, as well as between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley, caused by damage to the overhead electric wires in the Aston area of Birmingham.

No LNER trains served Inverness on Friday morning.

Long queues at Dover for cross-Channel trips

22:19 , Jane Dalton

Long queues are still affecting cross-Channel journeys at the port of Dover as Christmas getaway disruption continues across the country.

P&O Ferries said there were still large queues of approximately 90 minutes at border control.

“Please come prepared with refreshments to make your wait more comfortable,” the ferry company advised travellers.

It also said toilet facilities were limited.

Road congestion even worse than usual

18:39 , Jane Dalton

Location-technology company TomTom said road congestion in cities across Britain was above normal levels today.

The time taken to cover 10km (6.2 miles) in London was 20 minutes and 15 seconds, which is one minute and 51 seconds longer than usual at 3pm.

Journey times over the same distance also increased in Birmingham (two minutes and 11 seconds), Manchester (two minutes and 33 seconds), Glasgow (two minutes and 24 seconds) and Cardiff (four minutes and eight seconds).

Wacth: Queues stretch through St Pancras after Eurotunnel strike causes chaos

16:03 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

‘I don’t think I’ve ever had a train journey which has gone smoothly'

15:19 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Passengers at Euston said the travel disruption on Thursday left them “concerned” and repeatedly checking their journeys online, but their plans on Friday had not been delayed.

Ash Hill, 32, and Vanessa Yau, 31, were getting the train to Telford, Shropshire, for Christmas on Friday morning with their dog Chance.

Ms Yau said: “I was hoping that there were no knock-on effects, I was concerned and wanted to keep an eye on the Trainline website just in case.”

Meanwhile Joe Burns, 22, and Jimmy Dingwall, 25, were travelling to Liverpool for Christmas on the 10.43am train.

They saw the news on Thursday and thought they were not going to be able to travel, but their train was on time on Friday.

Mr Burns, a student, said: “I don’t think I’ve ever had a train journey which has gone smoothly.”

Christmas travel: Heavy wind causes train cancellations

14:38 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Storm Pia has already hampered Christmas getaway plans, with heavy winds causing train cancellations.

RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “With this latest weather warning affecting a large area of Scotland and parts of northern England, there is the chance travellers’ last-minute getaway trips could be disrupted.

“If trains are significantly delayed people are more likely to shift to the roads which could add to already exceptionally high traffic volumes. Nationally, we expect around 3.2m separate getaway journeys to be made by car.

“For this reason, we urge drivers to be on their guard for debris in the road, including branches and possibly even trees, especially along more rural routes.

“Gusty conditions can also make driving more difficult, so it’s advisable drivers reduce their speed and stay focused on the road ahead.”

Mr Dixon added: “As we get into Christmas Day, the outlook is looking rather unsettled at first, there are weather fronts draped over the UK and it’s looking likely that we’ll have rain across much of England and Wales and indeed some showers in parts of western and southern Scotland.

“This will gradually clear up during the day, some people may get a clearer spell in the afternoon, so an unsettled day.

“In terms of a white Christmas, it looks likely, with wintry showers possible over high ground in the far north of Scotland, but not widespread.”

A yellow alert has also been issued for snow and ice across Shetland over the weekend, with possible accumulations of 2-5cm of snow.

On Saturday a yellow rain warning will be issued across parts of Wales, lasting until the evening of December 24.

Map: When and where storms will hit the UK as Met Office issue weather warning

14:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Road and rail journeys are set to be disrupted in the run-up to Christmas and homes may be hit by power cuts as high winds batter the north of the UK on Thursday.

The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning, forecasting winds of up to 80mph in northern Scotland, up to 70mph on high ground, and 45-55mph elsewhere in Northern Ireland, Scotland, north Wales and England north of Birmingham, as well as the top half of East Anglia.

The warning, prompted by an area of low pressure, is for wind from midnight Wednesday to 9pm on Thursday, meaning travel disruption is likely, power cuts are possible, high-sided vehicles could be at risk on exposed roads and coastal routes could be sprayed by high waves.

Map: When and where storms will hit the UK as Met Office issue weather warning

Watch: Firefighter's three tips for safe Christmas travel ahead of busiest day on roads

13:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Strong winds to batter UK on Christmas Eve

12:48 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Christmas Eve travel plans could be ruined with heavy winds set to batter parts of the country ahead of a rain-soaked December 25.

Gusts as high as 60 to 70 mph are due to hit the north of Scotland and northern and central areas of England on Sunday, forecasters have said.

Two separate yellow wind warnings have been issued, saying people should expect travel disruption, damage to buildings and power cuts, while the rest of the country may see showers.

Forecasters said: “Give yourself the best chance of avoiding delays by checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, amending your travel plans if necessary. “

The RAC estimates 3.2 million car journeys will be made across the country on Christmas Eve, and last-minute getaway trips could be disrupted.

Christmas Day morning is set to be neither merry nor bright for most, with rain across parts of England and Wales.

However, a white Christmas, defined as a single snowflake falling on December 25, is likely for a short period over high ground in the far north of Scotland.

Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon said: “There’s potentially going to be some travel disruption on Christmas Eve, to the east of the Pennines in particular, because of that wind.

“It’s also going to be a very windy day in Scotland as well, so a chance of some travel disruption and power cuts, particular given the wind we saw recently with Storm Pia.”

‘We have to be back with mum for Christmas'

12:18 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A mother and daughter had to pay for a hotel for the night after their train back to France was cancelled on Thursday.

Sophie Lesaint, 53, and Mariane Tadebois, 23, arrived at St Pancras at 6.30am on Friday and managed to book a train for 2pm.

Mrs Lesaint said: “We received an email at 1pm yesterday and then we were trying to find a solution to get a train as soon as possible, but it was not possible.

“We were refreshing our emails all the time. So this morning we came very early and we saw all the people queuing.

“When we get to Paris we have to take another train to another town in France, but there was only one seat so we are now travelling separately. It has changed everything, everything is booked up. We had to pay for a hotel, we’re going to try to get compensation after.

“We even looked at getting a ferry or a nine-hour bus. We have to be back with my mum for Christmas.”

The story behind the trampoline on the tracks...

11:36 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A railway line at West Calder was obstructed by a trampoline which landed perfectly on the tracks after being lifted by strong winds.

British Airways apologies after cancelling more flights on Friday

11:25 , Simon Calder

British Airways has grounded at least 20 short haul – domestic and European – flights from London Heathrow, blaming air-traffic control restrictions.

The outbound BA European departures served Basel, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Geneva and Munich, together with the return legs.

Domestic cancellations involved round-trips from Heathrow to Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle.

A spokesperson for British Airways said: “Due to the continuing air traffic control restrictions put in place because of Storm Pia, we have had to make some adjustments to our schedule.

“We have apologised to our customers for any disruption to their travel plans and our teams are working hard to get them on their way as quickly as possible.”

What is the Met Office forecast for today?

11:06 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The weather forecast for today is mostly mild, albeit windy, the Met Office has said.

Rain will be hitting Northern Ireland, northern and eastern England and western Scotland. It will be drier and brighter to the southwest of this.

Northern and eastern Scotland will be colder with some snow showers.

Tonight:

Rain continuing across Scotland and parts of northern England, falling as snow for a time across northeast Scotland where it will be cold. Drier elsewhere though fairly cloudy and mild.

London Underground workers to stage strikes in new year

10:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

London Underground workers will stage a series of strikes in the new year in a dispute over pay.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) have voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action over a 5% pay offer.

Engineering and maintenance workers will be taking action over January 5/6, with no rest-day working or overtime until January 12.

London Underground control centre and power/control members will be taking action over January 7/8, and fleet workers will walk out on January 8.

Signallers and service controller members will take action on January 9 and 12 while all fleet, stations and trains grades will walk out on January 10.

‘Will it be possible for us to return home in time for Christmas?'

10:25 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A mother and her two children booked a ferry to France as a back-up after their train was cancelled on Thursday.

Laure Sauve had been rebooked on a 9.30am train on Friday along with her sons Quentin, 16, and Benjamin, 12, but said her 18-year-old son could not book the same train so was travelling separately later in the day.

The 42-year-old university lecturer from Clapham Junction in London said the cancellation on Thursday was “quite a big disappointment”.

But she added that the queues on Friday were “not too bad” as they had been waiting about 30 minutes.

Mrs Sauve said: “We weren’t sure if there were going to be trains today so we booked ferry tickets in case.

“This has happened before, we’ve been in London for 15 years, it’s always like ‘will it be possible for us to be back in France in time for Christmas?’.”

The family said they were spending 10 days in France to see family for Christmas.

French man told his train was cancelled two hours before scheduled departure

09:56 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A French man received an email two hours before he was due to travel to Paris on Thursday saying his train had been cancelled.

Valentin Walch and Pauline Cerceau, both 26, stayed at a friend’s home overnight but said they saw people who had slept at St Pancras after their travel plans were disrupted.

The pair had been rebooked on a 2pm service on Friday and arrived at the London station at 7am to wait.

Mr Walch, a handball trainer from Chartres, said they were “stressed and a little bit angry” when they saw the email delaying their return to France after a visit to London.

He said: “We prefer to be here early. We know some people who slept in the train station, we’re lucky we stayed at a friend’s.”

Port of Dover has processing time of 90 mins

09:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Christmas getaway disruption is continuing with long queues for cross-Channel journeys, motorway closures and train cancellations.

The Port of Dover in Kent said it is taking about 90 minutes to process cars with pre-booked tickets.

It attributed the delay to a surge in demand for ferries after the Channel Tunnel rail link was closed on Thursday due to unscheduled industrial action by French workers, which ruined the travel plans of tens of thousands of people.

Festive engineering works to hamper train schedules over Christmas

08:49 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Network Rail is preparing to launch its festive engineering works, which will cause disruption to journeys.

London Paddington will be closed between Sunday and December 27, meaning no mainline trains will serve Heathrow Airport during that period.

London King’s Cross will also be closed on Christmas Eve.

Outside of the capital, an engineering project near Southampton will cause some disruption to services, as will work to build the new Cambridge South station.

No trains will operate on Christmas Day, while a very limited service will run on Boxing Day.

Motorists advised to travel before 11am or after 6pm on last working day before Christmas

08:08 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Road congestion is likely to peak on Friday - the last working day before Christmas Day - as drivers embarking on leisure trips competed for road space with commuters and business traffic.

The RAC estimated 13.5 million leisure journeys by car would take place across the UK between Friday and Sunday, up 20 per cent on the three days before Christmas Day last year.

Motorists were being advised to travel before 11am or after 6pm if possible to reduce the chance of being stuck in long queues.

Likely traffic hotspots on the M25 identified by transport analysis company Inrix include clockwise between junction 7 (for the M23/Gatwick Airport) and junction 16 (for the M40/Birmingham), and anti-clockwise between junction 17 (Rickmansworth) and junction 12 (for the M3).

Other motorway stretches expected to see long queues included the M1 north from Woburn, Bedfordshire, to Daventry, Northamptonshire, and the M6 south from Wigan, Greater Manchester, to Stafford, Staffordshire.

Festive rail getaway resumes – with peak predicted on Saturday

07:30 , Simon Calder

On Britain’s railways, Friday and Saturday are expected to be the busiest days of the festive season – with extra pressure on the key London terminals of Paddington and King’s Cross. Both intercity stations will be closed on Christmas Eve due to engineering work.

Tens of thousands of passengers on both the East Coast and West Coast main lines had their trains cancelled on Thursday due to the effects of Storm Pia and broken-down trains.

Dozens of trains in and out of London Euston and King’s Cross were axed.

The main East Coast rail firm, LNER, said: “We sincerely apologise for the impact to travel plans ahead of the festive period, due to the strong winds that affected LNER services on Thursday 21 December.”

Tickets from cancelled trains on Thursday can be used on any LNER services on Friday.

All peak ticket restrictions have been lifted by Avanti West Coast until Sunday 7 January, allowing passengers to travel using cheaper off-peak fares.

Eurostar and Eurotunnel resume services after sudden strike closes Channel Tunnel

07:07 , Simon Calder

Tens of thousands of travellers have woken up far from where they wanted to be today, after a sudden strike closed the Channel Tunnel for most of the day.

An estimated 25,000 passengers booked on Eurostar on Thursday found their cross-Channel trains cancelled.

Thirty trains connecting London with Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam were axed when the tunnel was closed by a walk-out by French staff.

Eurostar trains have now resumed. The rail firm said: “We’ve been informed the strike by Eurotunnel staff is now over. We will run a normal timetable to/from London on 22 December 2023.

“We’re also running additional trains to enable as many passengers as possible to rebook their journey before Christmas.

“We’re sorry that we were unable to provide our usual service on 21 December 2023 due to circumstances outside of our control.”

Car-carrying shuttles between Folkestone and Calais resumed on Thursday evening after the industrial action was lifted.

A spokesperson for Eurotunnel said: “Eurotunnel management and trade union representatives have reached an agreement at the end of a day marked by strike action which led to the closure of the terminals and the interruption of services since midday.

“Eurotunnel welcomes this agreement and reiterates its apologies to all LeShuttle customers as well as Eurostar passengers and rail freight operators whose traffic has been impacted by this strike.”

Full report: Christmas travel chaos as Storm Pia hits and strikes halt Eurostar

07:01 , Andy Gregory

Storm Pia has unleashed Christmas travel chaos as major train line closures caused mass cancellations across the UK and flights were grounded by high winds – while a sudden French strike also forced the Eurotunnel to close.

There were chaotic scenes at London Euston and Kings Cross as damage to overhead wires between Watford and Milton Keynes disrupted the main route to Manchester, while a fallen tree near Doncaster also knocked out travel on the East Coast Main Line to Edinburgh.

At Heathrow Airport, British Airways cancelled dozens of flights between domestic and international destinations in Europe and the United States, while a shock French strike at the Eurotunnel left tens of thousands of passengers on 30 Eurostar trains from London, Paris and Brussels unable to travel.

Here is the rundown on how Storm Pia hit the UK on Thursday:

Christmas travel chaos as Storm Pia hits and strikes halt Eurostar

Where are this week’s remaining weather warnings in force?

06:04 , Andy Gregory

The Met Office has issued two further weather warnings.

The first came into force in Shetland at 3pm on Thursday, while a second larger warning will take effect at 9pm on Friday, lasting through until midday on Saturday.

The Met Office warns to expect:

• Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths

• Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces

• Some roads likely to be affected with longer journey times by road and bus services

Max wind speeds of 80mph recorded away from mountainous sites

05:00 , Andy Gregory

Away from mountainous sites, the top wind speeds recorded by the Met Office today were all around the 80mph mark, in Scotland and northern England.

Watch: Passengers stranded at St Pancras as Christmas plans thrown into disarray by strikes

04:01 , Andy Gregory

Storm Pia to wreak more severe impact on mainland Europe, forecasters say

03:04 , Andy Gregory

Storm Pia, which was named by the Danish Met Institute, is gradually moving towards mainland Europe where its impacts are expected to be more severe, the Met Office said in a statement.

The winds are due to ease for many across the UK on Thursday afternoon with wet weather likely to persist in western areas.

Government urged to be ‘ambitious’ on new UK wind farms after record set in Storm Pia

02:01 , Andy Gregory

The government has been urged to be “ambitious” in seeking new wind farms for the UK after turbines generated a record amount of energy during Storm Pia today.

Dan McGrail, the chief executive of trade body RenewableUK urged ministers to set their sights high when trying to get renewable energy providers to bid in next year’s auction to build new wind farms.

“Setting a new wind energy record is a great achievement to celebrate during this festive period,” he said. “Wind power is taking centre stage in our modern clean energy mix, strengthening our energy security and keeping Britain powered up at the coldest, darkest time of the year.

“In the new year, the renewable energy industry will be working closely with the Government to ensure that we maximise investment in new projects, most critically through the next auction for new clean energy projects, to lower everyone’s energy bills and get us to net zero as fast as possible.

“We’re calling for ministers to be ambitious when they set out new parameters in March for next summer’s auction, which we hope will secure a record amount of new renewable energy capacity and boost jobs in the sector.”

UK wind farms generate record amount of electricity in Storm Pia

00:58 , Andy Gregory

The UK’s wind turbines generated a record amount of electricity on Thursday morning, with 21.8 gigawatts in half an hour, supplying 56 per cent of all the power used from the grid.

It beats the previous 21.6 GW record which was set in January this year.

The highest ever proportion of electricity generated by wind power was 69 per cent in November this year.

Power to be restored to all households tonight, operator says

Thursday 21 December 2023 23:59 , Andy Gregory

Northern Powergrid, one of the electricity network operators represented by ENA, said it had restored power to more than 45,000 customers across the North East, Yorkshire and north Lincolnshire by Thursday evening – around 96 per cent of customers impacted by Storm Pia.

Louise Lowes, director of customer service, said: “We expect all customers affected by Storm Pia to be back on supply tonight.”

‘Another windy day for all’ on Friday, Met Office says

Thursday 21 December 2023 23:22 , Andy Gregory

It will be “another windy day for all” tomorrow, the Met Office has warned.

The national forecaster expects “a cloudy and damp start for many”, with snow showers and icy stretches over hills in the far northeast of Scotland.

Watch: Storm Pia causes Christmas travel chaos as Euston cancels trains

Thursday 21 December 2023 22:35 , Andy Gregory

Nearly 90,000 households hit by power cuts this morning

Thursday 21 December 2023 21:39 , Andy Gregory

Nearly 90,000 households lots power in storm-related outages this morning, according to Britain’s electricity network operator’s association.

A spokesperson for Energy Networks Association (ENA), which represents Britain’s electricity network operators, said at 2pm that 80 per cent of customers affected by storm-related power cuts this morning had been reconnected, with around 17,900 customers still without power.

Cruise ship suffers power failure during North Sea storm

Thursday 21 December 2023 21:38 , Andy Gregory

The Norwegian cruise ship Maud lost manoeuvrability due to a power failure late on Thursday during a storm in the North Sea as it was sailing from Norway to England, the Danish Joint Operations Centre has said.

The 266 passengers and 131 crew members were safe, it said.

Full report: Christmas travel chaos as Storm Pia hits and strikes halt Eurostar

Thursday 21 December 2023 20:56 , Andy Gregory

Storm Pia has unleashed Christmas travel chaos as major train line closures caused mass cancellations across the UK and flights were grounded by high winds – while a sudden French strike also forced the Eurotunnel to close.

There were chaotic scenes at London Euston and Kings Cross as damage to overhead wires between Watford and Milton Keynes disrupted the main route to Manchester, while a fallen tree near Doncaster also knocked out travel on the East Coast Main Line to Edinburgh.

At Heathrow Airport, British Airways cancelled dozens of flights between domestic and international destinations in Europe and the United States, while a shock French strike at the Eurotunnel left tens of thousands of passengers on 30 Eurostar trains from London, Paris and Brussels unable to travel.

The Eurostar cancellations spell terrible news for the thousands of people who were hoping to escape from London St Pancras to France, Belgium or beyond for Christmas.

You can read our report on today’s travel and Storm Pia news here:

Christmas travel chaos as Storm Pia hits and strikes halt Eurostar

Rare ‘nacreous’ clouds spotted in UK

Thursday 21 December 2023 19:45 , Andy Gregory

Rare “nacreous” clouds – which require special weather conditions to observe – have been pictured in the UK.

Nacreous clouds are rare and very high clouds, known mainly for the coloured light they reflect after sunset and before sunrise, according to the Met Office.

The colours are reminiscent of the colours which reflect from a thin layer of oil on top of water, an effect known as iridescence, the national forecaster says.

Pictured: Tree falls on home in Derbyshire village

Thursday 21 December 2023 19:21 , Andy Gregory

The roof was torn from several properties in Sheffield, while trees were uprooted across the country, causing a man to be hospitalised with what are understood to be non-life-threatening injuries after one fell onto his car on the A515 in Derbyshire.

As roads were closed in Derbyshire, workmen were also attempting to remove a tree which fell onto a house in the village of Stanley, and further south, a fallen tree blocked the train line between Ascot, Berkshire and Bagshot in Surrey.

Rogue trampoline wreaks havoc on major Scottish rail line

Thursday 21 December 2023 18:59 , Andy Gregory

Trains were also disrupted between Edinburgh and Glasgow earlier today, after a 10-foot trampoline blew onto the tracks.

The major rail artery was closed for more than an hour until services resumed at 4pm.

Rush hour disruption for rail passengers in northwest England

Thursday 21 December 2023 18:43 , Andy Gregory

Rail passengers in northwest England have been hit with further Storm Pia disruption at the height of rush hour.

“Due to an object being caught on the overhead electric wires between Stockport and Macclesfield the line is currently blocked,” said Avanti West Coast.

“Train services running through these stations may be delayed or diverted via Crewe. Please check before you travel.”

Thirty Eurostar trains cancelled due to French strikes

Thursday 21 December 2023 18:07 , Andy Gregory

Tens of thousands of Eurostar passengers have been affected after French strikes forced the closure of the Eurotunnel, with 30 trains from London, Paris and Brussels now cancelled.

“For passengers due to travel tomorrow, Eurostar will update them directly with any changes to services from 1900UK/2000CET,” Eurostar said in a statement.

“Customers who have been affected today have received direct communication about their journey and had the option to exchange their tickets free of charge or claim a refund. Eurostar is closely monitoring the situation as it evolves and is being kept informed of developments by Eurotunnel.

“Although the situation is out of Eurostar’s control, all our teams are working to minimise the impact on our customers and provide as much support as possible. Extra staff are also in the stations to assist travellers.”

Man hospitalised and house damaged after trees uprooted in Derbyshire

Thursday 21 December 2023 17:48 , Andy Gregory

One man has beeen taken to hospital with what is understood to be non-life-threatening injuries after a tree fell onto his car on the A515 in Clifton, Derbyshire.

Derbyshire Constabulary said a number of trees had fallen on the road, which is expected to be closed for most of the day, and motorists have been advised to find alternative routes.

Also in Derbyshire, in the village of Stanley, workmen attempted to remove a tree that fell onto and damaged the roof of a house.

Video report: Storm Pia causes major travel disruption as Euston suspends all services

Thursday 21 December 2023 17:32 , Andy Gregory

Engineering works to halt all long-distance trains at King’s Cross on Christmas Eve

Thursday 21 December 2023 17:01 , Andy Gregory

Today’s rail disruption comes before major engineering works close down all long-distance rail services to and from King’s Cross on Christmas Eve.

LNER, Hull Trains, Lumo, Thameslink and Great Northern services will be affected, and no Grand Central services will operate, according to Network Rail.

Wind gusts of 115mph recorded in Cairngorms

Thursday 21 December 2023 16:44 , Andy Gregory

Wind gusts of an eye-watering 115mph have been recorded in the Cairngorms, with speeds of around 80mph in other parts of Scotland and north England.

More than 20,000 passengers hit by Eurotunnel cancellations

Thursday 21 December 2023 16:30 , Andy Gregory

At least 25 Eurostar trains have been cancelled on Thursday after French staff staged a sudden strike, which would have been carrying upwards of 20,000 passengers.

Services restored on West Coast Main Line, says Avanti

Thursday 21 December 2023 16:17 , Andy Gregory

All services have been restored on the West Coast Main Line, after the overhead wires damaged between Watford and Milton Keynes were fixed, Avanti West Coast has said.

But the operator warned that possible delays and cancellations are expected.

Storm Pia knocks out power to 40,000 households, Northern Powergrid says

Thursday 21 December 2023 16:04 , Andy Gregory

Northern Powergrid said 40,000 households had suffered disruption to power supplies in the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, with 28,000 reconnected so far.

The firm said West Yorkshire was the area worst hit by power outages.

Louise Lowes, director of customer services, said: “We are mobilising our customer support vehicles immediately to ensure we have welfare arrangements in place and we are keeping local agency partners informed of the communities worst affected by Storm Pia.

“We encourage anyone who knows of neighbours or relatives who may be in a vulnerable position to call us on 105 so we can ensure they get the additional support they need.”

Eurostar cancellations ‘terrible news for thousands of people’, warns Simon Calder

Thursday 21 December 2023 15:44 , Andy Gregory

Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent of The Independent, said: “The Eurostar cancellations are terrible news for thousands of people who were hoping to escape from London St Pancras to France, Belgium or beyond for Christmas.

“Eurostar bookings for the next few days are heavy, meaning it may prove difficult to find space for everyone who needs to travel.

“It has also been a very frustrating time for drivers hoping to use LeShuttle between Folkestone and Calais – but there is still some space on ferries from Dover to Northern France.”

LNER shares picture of large tree which fell on line near Doncaster

Thursday 21 December 2023 15:30 , Andy Gregory

LNER has shared a picture of the fallen tree hampering Christmas travel plans on the East Coast Main Line.

The tree has since been removed and the line should reopen imminently, the company said at 2pm, since which point there has been no further update.

Gusts of 81mph recorded in north England and Shetland

Thursday 21 December 2023 15:15 , Andy Gregory

Gusts of 81mph have been recorded at Brizlee Wood, near Alnwick, Northumberland, and at Baltasound on Shetland, with gusts of more than 70mph recorded elsewhere in the North East of England.

Oli Claydon, a Met Office spokesperson, said while the winds will ease through the day, it will remain breezy.

As conditions improve in the UK, the storm will pass over into northern Europe, bringing strong winds to Denmark, northern Germany and Poland, he said.

Further weather warnings for snow and ice have been issued for Shetland and northern Scotland from Friday and into the weekend, with accumulations of 10-15cm on higher ground possible in the Highlands, before milder air brings rain on Saturday.

Scotland and northern England will also be hit by persistent rain and showers following Storm Pia.

Tree causing blockage near Doncaster ‘removed’ amid chaotic scenes at King's Cross

Thursday 21 December 2023 14:54 , Andy Gregory

The fallen tree has been removed from the East Coast Main Line near Doncaster, a social media response by LNER suggests.

“The tree has been removed. A train will move over the affected area, if no issues are reported, then the line will re-open,” the rail operator said in a Twitter reply to a delayed customer.

The company said it was in the process of telling its train staff this information, one train at a time.

Meanwhile, there are reports of chaotic scenes at London King’s Cross as people wait to board cancelled or delayed trains.

Chaos on West Coast main line due to overhead line damage near Hemel Hempstead

Thursday 21 December 2023 14:42 , Andy Gregory

Our travel correspondent Simon Calder reports:

One of the busiest railway lines in the UK is at a near standstill after the overhead electric wires were damaged.

Network Rail said: “Due to damage to the overhead electric wires near Hemel Hempstead, journeys between Milton Keynes Central and London Euston/East Croydon are being severely disrupted.

“As a result, some trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 90 minutes or revised.

“Major disruption is expected until 5.30pm.”

Avanti West Coast, which runs trains from London Euston to the West Midlands, northwest England, North Wales and southern Scotland, has arranged for its passengers to be carried on Chiltern Railways services between Birmingham New Street and London Marylebone, on CrossCountry trains between Birmingham New Street and Reading, and on Great Western Railway services between Reading and London Paddington.

Full report: All Eurotunnel services suspended after shock strikes by French staff

Thursday 21 December 2023 14:38 , Andy Gregory

All Eurotunnel services have been unexpectedly cancelled today after last-minute strike action was announced by French staff, wrecking havoc on Christmas travel plans.

A statement on the Eurotunnel website said: “Due to industrial action our service is suspended. Customers are advised that, as a consequence of this incident, access to our site is currently unavailable.

“If you are due to travel today please make alternative arrangements or modify your booking. Incidents of this nature are extremely rare and we’re grateful for your patience.”

On its travel updates page, Eurostar said train traffic to and from London was currently suspended.

My colleague Athena Stavrou has more in this breaking report:

All Eurotunnel services suspended after shock strikes by French staff

Unexpected Eurotunnel strike disrupts train traffic under Channel

Thursday 21 December 2023 14:20 , Andy Gregory

An unexpected strike by French workers at the Eurotunnel has interrupted cross-Channel rail traffic, threatening the Christmas holiday plans of many travellers.

“Today’s call for strike action by representatives of Eurotunnel’s French site staff unions has resulted in the complete interruption of service and the closure of our terminals in France and the UK”, a Getlink spokesperson told Reuters.

Those due to travel today have been told to make alternative arrangements or modify their bookings.

Storm Pia tears roofs from homes in Sheffield

Thursday 21 December 2023 14:17 , Andy Gregory

Roofs have been torn from homes as the high winds buffet Sheffield, the council has said.

Christmas travel chaos as Manchester-London train line blocked

Thursday 21 December 2023 14:15 , Andy Gregory

Chaotic scenes are emerging at London Euston, with mass cancellations of trains running to Manchester and images of blank departures boards emerging on social media.

Avanti West Coast has said: “Due to damage to the overhead electric wires between Milton Keynes Central and Watford Junction all lines are blocked.

“Train services running through these stations may be cancelled or delayed.”

Huge tree lands on petrol station as Storm Pia causes havoc in Derby

Thursday 21 December 2023 14:00 , Barney Davis

A Texaco petrol station has been sealed off by police after a huge tree came crashing down on its roof during Storm Pia.

One local posted the picture on X, adding: “It’s wild out there today, as this photo from Kedleston Road at Five Lamps shows. Stay safe, everyone!”

One man was rushed to hospital after another tree fell on his car earlier in Derbyshire.

Incredible photos as waves batter Scottish village made famous in Local Hero

Thursday 21 December 2023 13:45 , Barney Davis

Huge waves have been seen battering the Scottish coast and iconic phone box by-the-sea in Pennar, Aberdeenshire.

The spot was made famous by Local Hero a 1983 film starring Burt Lancaster that has gained a cult following over the years.

Mark Kermode the acclaimed British film critic cites it as one of his favourite films of all time. Tourists from all corners are still attracted to the village for this reason and to get a picture of the iconic red phone box, and the harbour, which feature in the film.

‘Bit breezy’ Shetland residents rocked by 80mph winds of Storm Pia

Thursday 21 December 2023 13:15 , Barney Davis

Author Catherine Munro filmed herself battling more than 80mph winds battering the Shetland Islands Storm Pia threatened to bring chaos to pre-Christmas travel plans.

The Met Office issued a yellow warning for wind, stretching north from Birmingham to the Shetlands and including Northern Ireland, remaining in place until 3pm on Thursday.

That had been brought forward from 9pm as the Met Office said the worst of the wind was expected to be in the morning, with conditions slowly easing.

Finnair pilot winning plaudits for jaw-dropping landing during Storm Pia

Thursday 21 December 2023 12:26 , Barney Davis

Storm Pia: 80mph winds batter Britain with 'do not travel' warnings issued

Thursday 21 December 2023 12:15 , Barney Davis

Live stream of planes battling to land at Manchester Airport

Thursday 21 December 2023 11:32 , Barney Davis

A pair of planespotters are taking the internet by storm as they livestream flights attempting to land at Manchester Airport during Storm Pia.

The Airliners Live account have been filming for several hours.

One EasyJet pilot was praised by the followers for managing to land as his Boeing 747 was blown from side to side in excruciating footage.

Liverpool Christmas Market cancelled due to high winds

Thursday 21 December 2023 11:22 , Barney Davis

Liverpool’s Christmas Market has been cancelled by the council as Storm Pia is expected to cause damage.

Staff at St George’s Hall were said to be monitoring developments to see if the market can reopen later in the evening for last-minute shoppers.

Flooding has also been reported in nearby Bebington.

Thousands lose power during Storm Pia

Thursday 21 December 2023 11:15 , Barney Davis

Engineers have restored power to more than 6,700 properties as Storm Pia has hit the region.

Tree branches and debris have caused widespread damage bringing down overhead power lines as winds have hit already 55mph with peak gusts expected until 5pm.

Electricity North West Engineers are working to restore power to the remaining 2,800 properties with already more than 20 individual damages to the network reported.

They added the high winds have caused issues for teams on site, making it unsafe for lines teams to climb and make repairs.

Impact has been across Lancashire and Cumbria with damage also reported in the Peak District.

Samantha Loukes, Electricity North West’s incident manager, said: “Fresh off two major weather incidents already this month, our teams are again responding and battling the elements brought by Storm Pia.

“We are well prepared and having already made substantial progress this morning, teams remain on site carrying out repairs where trees and branches have damaged overhead lines.

“For the North West, we’re expecting the worst of the winds to hit the region from 10am until 2pm but our forecast along with the Met Office warning remains in place until midnight.

“As always, if you see lines down or damage to any of our equipment, stay well clear and call us on 105 so we can make the area safe.”

Roof of Royal Armouries ripped off by Storm Pia

Thursday 21 December 2023 11:13 , Barney Davis

The Royal Armouries in Leeds have been forced to close an exhibition after a section of its roof was damaged in Storm Pia.

The museum said it hoped to re-open the gallery tomorrow.

It came as a number of flights have been cancelled at nearby Leeds Bradford Airport, as flyers are warned to wait for grounded flights.

Ten flights that were due to have departed this morning are still grounded at the airport.