Thousands lose power and part of Brighton’s West Pier collapses as Storm Austen whips UKpublished at 16:17 BST
16:17 BST
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A yellow warning for rain is in place in parts of Scotland, while yellow wind warnings stay in place in south-east England and parts of Wales until 17:00, and in south and east England and northern Wales until 21:00
Storm Austen is causing widespread disruption in parts of the UK, leaving thousands of homes without power and travel plans disrupted.
In Brighton, part of the iconic West Pier – an abandoned structure that first opened in 1866 – has collapsed. Stephen Royle, who lives opposite, says the waves rolling in were “enormous” and he is “shocked” by how much of the pier ended up in the sea.
National Grid says almost 18,000 properties have been affected by power cuts today, including 13,000 in Cornwall.
Hannah Dawson-Turk says she and her family had to be evacuated from a holiday park in Perranporth, Cornwall, yesterday afternoon due to the weather, adding “the night before last, it sounded like our caravan was going to be ripped apart”.
Earlier today, a wind speed of 84mph was recorded at Jersey Airport, causing trees and other debris to fall and block roads, the infrastructure department said.
National Rail has advised that many routes are travelling at slower speeds, with delays and cancellations possible, while ferry operators Stena Line and Wightlink have cancelled services – more travel advice here.
As we move into Saturday, Storm Boelo – which is travelling higher up in the northern parts of the country – is forecast to bring more strong winds and heavy rain in parts.
The Met Office has put in place an amber warning for wind on Saturday and Sunday to cover parts of Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland, while a lower yellow warning for wind also covers other parts.