Britain battered by 80mph winds

Winds of more than 80mph brought down trees, damaged houses and brought chaos for travellers today as a severe storm battered Britain.

In the West Midlands and Staffordshire, several trees came down as gusts reached 50mph. One tree blocked a road outside Wodensborough Community Technology College in Wednesbury, and a wall was blown into the street on Main Road in Milford, Stafford.

Birmingham Airport welcomed more than 1,000 extra passengers because of aircraft diversions. Planes from Heathrow and Manchester were redirected to Birmingham and included jumbo jets from Hong Kong and Johannesburg.

Travellers faced delays and thousands of people in the West Country and South Wales woke to find they were without electricity after falling trees crashed through power lines.

A tanker with 13 crew on board was in trouble off the Isle of Wight as the storms whipped up the waters around the coasts.

The Ports of Dover and Calais were both closed today as gusts in the English Channel reached gale force nine.

The highest recorded wind speed was 82mph at Berry Head in Brixham, south Devon.

* More reports and pictures in tonight's Express & Star.