Storm Henk travel chaos after 94mph gusts brought widespread damage

Travellers are expected to face more disruption this morning after Storm Henk hit the UK with winds of up to 94mph on Tuesday.

Train operators across southern regions of England and Wales have warned journeys on Wednesday morning could be delayed by up to 90 minutes or cancelled as they recover from the strong winds.

South Western Rail said they were “deeply sorry” for Tuesday’s delays but added they expect train disruption to continue due to “trains and crews being displaced”, urging commuters to check before they travel.

Gusts of 94mph were recorded on the Isle of Wight and fallen trees blocked a rail line in Hastings – causing major delays.

Exeter Airport was hit with gusts of 81mph, while winds reached 71mph at the Isle of Portland in Dorset and Mumbles Head in South Wales.

Thousands of people across the South were left without power.

National Rail has asked people not to travel from Ipswich to Cambridge, and Norwich and Peterborough in both directions, because of trees on the overhead wire.

A statement from National Rail asked commuters not to travel between Liverpool Street and Cambridge because of multiple overhead wire tripping, and between Ely and Cambridge North because of wire damage and a tree on the tracks.

Disruption is also expected on the Elizabeth line and London Overground, and on train lines run by CrossCountry, Greater Anglia, Northern, TransPennine Express, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern, and Thameslink.

Footage has shown planes struggling to land at Heathrow on Tuesday, with one BA jet taking off again as it reached the runway during a landing.

Strong winds forced Dartford Crossing southbound to close for around four hours, causing severe delays in the region.

Flood warnings cover England

By Tuesday evening there were still 246 flood warnings in place meaning that flooding is expected, with one severe warning – meaning danger to life – in place for River Nene at Billing Aquadrome and nearby business parks.

In Warwickshire, fire crews were called to Kenilworth Ford to rescue a driver who got stuck trying to manoeuvre through the flood water.

A spokesman for the service said: “Due to the speed of the flowing water we used our inflatable sled to safely rescue the car’s occupants. Please avoid the area and don’t try to drive through flood water.”

And the River Ouse in York burst its banks due to the rainfall brought in by the storm.

In other developments:

• Police say a “hero” entered flood water in Hall Green, Birmingham, to rescue a trapped driver and three-year-old child
• A woman was hit by a tree in Orpington, southeast London, and taken to hospital with injuries not thought to be life-threatening
• An Apache helicopter on an army airfield in Middle Wallop, Hampshire, was toppled in high winds

An amber warning for wind – issued by the Met Office – expired at 8pm on Tuesday evening.

Forecasters had warned of flying debris and a danger to life from large waves in coastal areas.

Motorists were urged to drive slowly, and homeowners were told to secure garden furniture and other loose objects.

An estimated 38,000 people were left without electricity as a direct result of the storm on Tuesday evening, according to Energy Networks Association (ENA) which represents all energy providers across the UK.

ENA spokesman Ross Easton said technicians had already reconnected more than 100,000 customers after the storm damaged power lines.