https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7983523/Storm-Ciara-lashes-UK-90mph-gale-force-winds-trigger-chaos-trees-crashing-down.htmlStorm Ciara wreaks havoc: Homes are evacuated and hotel collapses into raging floodwaters as 93mph gales rip down cranes, windmills and even a pub and now SNOW is predicted tomorrow
Trains cancelled and flights have been delayed due to Storm Ciara which is causing havoc across the UK
Passengers onboard a National Express bus narrowly avoided disaster as a huge tree came down on vehicle
Gales have battered the Imperial War Museum airport hangar in Duxford amid fears it could blow onto M11
River Eden burst its banks, causing severe flooding in Cumbria as coastal areas are facing huge wage crashes
Hundreds of passengers are stranded abroad as flights are cancelled from Geneva airport due to the weather
**Send us your Storm Ciara pictures: Email pictures@mailonline.co.uk**
By Terri-ann Williams For Mailonline and Sebastian Murphy-bates For Mailonline
Published: 10:39, 9 February 2020 | Updated: 21:09, 9 February 2020
Storm Ciara is wreaking havoc across the country as homes are being evacuated after a hotel collapsed into raging floodwaters while 93mph gales ripped down cranes, windmills and even a pub. Tourists are stranded as hundreds of flights into and out of European airports were cancelled as Britain's biggest storm in seven years swept into Scotland, with snow predicted for tomorrow. Homes have been evacuated across the country and emergency services have been rescuing people from their cars as violent winds and flooding continue to cause chaos. Gales are battering Britain's biggest aviation museum amid fears that the force of the winds could tear off its roof and damage World War II planes. Flying debris from buildings could bring danger to life and power cuts are also a possibility, forecasters have warned. There are now 214 flood warnings in place demanding immediate action, with 177 alerts also suggesting that flooding is possible elsewhere. Riverbanks are bursting as up to 151.8mm of rain has hit regions, forcing firefighters to warn people against travelling. In other areas, residents are battling to save their homes, with pictures showing them using buckets as they struggle to move water away from their properties. Football stadiums and zoos have shut their doors amid safety fears and train stations are urging against travelling on some networks after a train ploughed into a fallen tree. Train providers axed services across swathes of the country today, announcing that there would be no journeys at all in certain regions. Parks have also closed and the dog-walkers and joggers who braved the adverse weather today arrived to find gates closed. Torrential rain opened up a sinkhole in a back garden, with footage showing water raging underneath the grass to the rear of the property. As Storm Ciara batters Britain:
A hotel in Hawick collapsed into floodwaters as violent winds helped to crumble the building to the ground
A tree crashed down onto National Express coach in London as passengers on board narrowly avoided disaster
Gales damage Duxford hangar, causing fears the roof could be blown off and World War II aircraft destroyed
Man City vs. West Ham match, due to be held at the Etihad this afternoon was postponed due to the weather
Gusts of 93 mph recorded in Aberdaron, North Wales, while 151.8mm of rain hits Cumbria in 24 hours
Avanti West Coast cancels all trains north of Preston until further notice because of the impact of Storm Ciara
London Euston's Twitter warns people not to travel and Cumbria firefighters warn drivers to stay at home
Torrential rain opens up a sinkhole in the back garden of a property in Rochdale, Greater Manchester
Collapsing walls and falling trees have seen people come within inches of injury or worse as they were forced to dodge out of the way of tumbling structures. Coastal areas were pictured awash with foam from the sea as massive waves swept ashore and covered homes and businesses. Major roads are closing and being rendered unusable as emergency services warn people not to drive through floodwater. Police are enforcing emergency speed limits in some areas, amid fears of fatal accidents on Britain's roads should drivers choose to head out. Concerns over accidents were amplified as a picture surfaced showing a car smashed up and on its side this morning. Power networks were also bracing for blackouts from gales wreaking havoc on overhead electric cables and reassured the public they have crews on standby. Thousands of football fans had their away day ruined after travelling more than 200 miles to watch West Ham play Manchester City only to find that the weather had cancelled the fixture. Powerful gales lifted the roof clean off a gym and blew a trampoline onto train tracks as people also fear that the Imperial War Museum hangar at Duxford could be destroyed. Met Office amber and yellow weather warnings remain in force, as forecasters warn flying debris could lead to injuries or endanger lives. Gusts of 97 miles per hour were recorded on the Isle of White, with 93 miles per hour winds hitting Aberdaron, a village at the tip of the Llyn Peninsula. Inland, Manchester Airport recorded gusts of 86 miles per hour, while 177mm of rain fell in Honister Pass, in Cumbria, in the 24 hours to 4 pm on Sunday around one-and-a-half times the average February rainfall of 112mm. Some 539,000 people experienced a power cut on Sunday with 118,000 left without power by 4 pm across the whole of the UK, according to Energy Networks. More than 200 flood warnings were issued across England, including one rated severe at Pateley Bridge, in North Yorkshire, meaning there is a danger to life, which was later stood down. Chris Wilding, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: 'Some significant river flooding is possible across parts of the north of England today due to heavy, persistent rain and severe gale force winds associated with Storm Ciara. We urge people in at-risk areas to remain vigilant. Minor coastal flooding impacts are also possible for parts of the south, west and north-east England coast, where high tides, large waves and coastal gales combine. We advise people to check their flood risk, stay safe and avoid activities such as storm selfies.'
The town of Appleby-in-Westmorland, in Cumbria, was hit by severe flooding as the River Eden burst its banks, with residents battling to protect their homes. Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service urged people not to drive through floodwater after they rescued a number of motorists, while police forces across the country advised people to stay off the roads. The River Irwell burst its banks at Radcliffe and Bury Council set up a rest centre in a leisure centre for residents affected by the flooding. A major incident was declared in Lancashire, where firefighters received 311 calls, including 192 related to flooding before it was stood down. Areas including Whalley, Longton and Rossendale were affected, with some properties in the Blackpool area evacuated. Firefighters in the town had to rescue a motorist whose car got stuck in deep floodwater and a man escaped with minor injuries after being trapped for over an hour when a tree fell on a car in Flitwick, Bedfordshire. Meanwhile, tourists are stranded abroad as delays hit airports on the continent as well as in the UK. Speaking to the MailOnline, one passenger who has been left stranded in Morzine on the border of France and Switzerland, said her flight was cancelled with no word from travel provider EasyJet. Lisa Norton from London had been skiing at the resort and was due to fly home from Geneva on the 9.40 pm flight this evening. Whilst on a ski lift she received a notification from the EasyJet app stating that her flight had been cancelled. 'We were supposed to be going home tonight but the soonest they can fly us home is Wednesday and I need to get back for my job and my child. We are going to Geneva and from there we will fly from Paris, where we have had to get a Eurostar ticket to London.'
Lisa, who had been on the trip with her twin sister since Wednesday said it has cost her nearly £1,000 to make different travel arrangements. 'We didn't even get an email. There are a few people here at the resort who are in the same situation but have decided to stay here until they can get a flight back. The weather has been stunning in France, we knew the storm was coming.' MailOnline has contacted EasyJet.
London's Gatwick and Heathrow airports have both seen disruption, leaving many passengers faced with hours of chaos. Travellers hoping to arrive at Heathrow were faced with 37 cancellations and a further 50 delayed flights, while Gatwick saw more than 40 delays to both arrivals and departures. Elsewhere around the country, flights are disrupted into and out of airports including the Glasgow, Manchester and Liverpool hubs. Flights are delayed arriving and leaving major European cities too, with Frankfurt Airport seeing 21 cancelled departures and a further 116 delays. Flights to and from major UK airports were cancelled and disrupted, including Qantas flight QF10, which returned to Heathrow after experiencing a suspected tailstrike during take-off. Engineers found no damage to the fuselage of the Boeing 747, but the flight to Perth was cancelled because of limits on the crew members' flying time, the airline said. A passenger on a flight from Florida said the plane's landing at Gatwick Airport on Sunday morning was aborted three times before finally landing on its fourth attempt. Keith McDowall, 90, from Islington in north London, said: 'I've never had anything quite like it. I admit I was scared. It (the plane) was veering around and it kept shaking. The pilot did a very good job to land it.'
Zoos across the country including Chester and Blackpool closed their doors to protect the animals, but it didn't stop two pesky wallabies escaping from their enclosure in Southampton. The two marsupials were sheltering behind a fence when it was knocked down by a huge gust of wind and they hopped away. Police officers were alerted at 11.30 am and the animals were found looking very wet and cold in a bush. Their owners came to collect them and they are now back home safe and well. A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary said: 'Trees down all across the New Forest helping where we can. Oh, and two Wallabies that had escaped their enclosure in Calmore, Southampton, Hants, are now safely back where they belong. They were being kept privately. The wind blew down the fence they were behind, some horses wandered into their field and they scarpered or should I say hopped.'
In Northampton, the roof of a building was blown off following 60mph winds in the area. The roof of the Sol Central was seen hanging on by a thread at around 9.20 am today. A car narrowly avoided being crushed by the panels as they flew off the roof. Commuters at London's Euston station also faced struggles today as many packed into the station only to be faced with delays. In London, a crane was bent over by gusts 'like it's made of spaghetti', according to Lindsey Wells, 36, who pictured the damage near Stanmore Tube station. A North Wales Twitter user shared footage of rough seas flooding roads and bringing water to his front door on Tremadoc Bay in Criccieth, Gwynedd. 'This is quite an exceptional storm and I haven't seen wind this strong for quite a few years,' 58-year-old company director Gethin Jones said.
The storm has also prompted all eight of London's Royal Parks, including Richmond and Hyde Park, to be shut until Monday, while in Ireland, the opening ceremony of Galway's year as the European capital of culture has also been called off. A trampoline blown onto train tracks in Chelsfield, south London, disrupted rail services from the South-East into the capital. And a North Wales Twitter user shared footage of rough seas flooding roads and bringing water to his front door on Tremadoc Bay in Criccieth, Gwynedd. 'This is quite an exceptional storm and I haven't seen wind this strong for quite a few years,' 58-year-old company director Gethin Jones told the PA news agency.
Gusts of 86 miles per hour were recorded in Capel Curig, in North Wales, at midnight, while the Isle of White saw 81mph winds on Sunday morning, while Cumbria saw 151.8mm of rain in 24 hours. Met Office meteorologist Helen Roberts said 'quite exceptional' gusts of between 60 and 70mph would be seen in inland areas, with the worst of the weather likely to hit before 6 pm, although warnings are in place until 9 pm. 'As well as the strength of the wind there is the rain to come today,' she said.
'So far, we have seen some impact from the rain, which has been heavy and persistent across Northern Ireland and northern England in the last 24 hours. It is likely we will see a further impact from the wind such as falling debris, roof tiles coming off, branches and trees down, with disruption to travel as well.'
Heathrow Airport said it had agreed with its airline partners to 'consolidate' Sunday's flight schedule in a bid to minimise the number of cancelled flights. British Airways said in a statement: 'Like all airlines operating into and out of the UK tomorrow, we are expecting to be impacted by the adverse weather conditions across parts of the UK on Sunday.'
The airline said it was offering rebooking options for customers on domestic and European flights flying to and from Heathrow, Gatwick and London City on Sunday. Virgin Atlantic has posted a list of cancelled flights on its website. It said it was 'contacting affected customers and rearranging their travel arrangements'.
This is while an overnight flight from New York to London is likely to have broken the fastest-ever crossing time after reaching speeds of more than 800mph. The flight took just four hours and 56 minutes, according to Flightradar24. A 200mph jet stream hurtled towards the UK, pushing the plane to record-breaking speeds. It departed JFK at the airport on Saturday and reached Heathrow at 11.20 pm. This is while flights travelling in the opposite direction were more than two hours longer than usual. Speaking to the Independent, a BA spokesperson said: 'We always prioritise safety over speed records, but our highly trained pilots made the most of the conditions to get customers back to London well ahead of time.'
Ferries have also been disrupted, as P&O said all services at the Port of Dover were suspended due to strong winds and Mersey Ferries cancelled all services until further notice. The train firms which have issued 'do not travel' warnings are Gatwick Express, Grand Central, Great Northern, Hull Trains, LNER, Northern, Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink and TransPennine Express. Fog, snow and rain will bucket down on much of the nation and high winds are powerful enough to rip tiles from roofs, forecasters warned. Weather maps show 1,000 mile-wide Ciara being catapulted across the Atlantic, bringing 30ft waves to the South-West and North-West coasts and 50ft waves offshore. Drivers are being warned to take extra care on the roads due to the potential of difficult conditions caused by heavy rain, particularly on coastal or exposed routes. In Scotland, the bad weather prompted officials to put in place a 40mph speed limit on the Queensferry Crossing, while ferry passengers also faced disruption, with many Caledonian MacBrayne services cancelled due to the conditions. Robert Morrison, Caledonian MacBrayne's director of operations, yesterday said: 'There is a very high possibility of weather-related disruption to services across all 28 of our routes so people should be aware of this before setting off on their journey. We will of course be looking keep sailings running when conditions allow. I would urge passengers to allow extra time for their journey, keep track of the status of their sailing on the website or on social media and be prepared for delays and cancellations.'
The Met Office also warned that homes and businesses in the Scottish Borders are likely to be flooded, with a chance that some communities may be cut off by flooded roads. Several bridges were closed to high sided vehicles on Saturday with the Erskine, Dornoch, Skye and Kessock Bridges among those affected. In the Highlands, a lorry overturned on the A96 at Gollanfield. Police said there were no reports of any injuries. However the road will remain closed overnight as it is not safe to recover the vehicle at the moment due to high winds. In Aberdeenshire, a coach overturned on the B9000 at the A90 slip road for Newburgh. Meanwhile, Network Rail said that winds of up to 90mph are expected on the West Highland Line and the Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh routes on Sunday and said that services will be suspended during the worst of the weather. The company tweeted: 'We expect extreme winds of 80-90mph to affect the West Highland Line & Inverness Kyle of Lochalsh tomorrow. Services will be suspended on those routes during the worst of the weather tomorrow. It's not safe to run in these conditions. Once the storm passes, we'll inspect both routes with locomotives on Monday at first light for obstructions before reopening.'
The rail manager said there will be a 50mph precautionary speed limit for trains, adding that 'major travel disruption' is expected. They advised passengers to 'only travel by train this Sunday if absolutely necessary'. Disruption could continue into Monday morning as repair work may be hampered by the conditions. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued 15 flood alerts and 20 flood warnings. Snow and ice are set to bring disruption to commuters in the North-West, Yorkshire and the Midlands over the next two days with the Met Office issuing yellow warnings in all three regions over the next two days. The coastguard warned people not to be reckless if they see people in danger in the water. A spokesperson said: 'If you see someone else in danger in the water, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. If you have something that floats that they can hold on to, throw it to them. Don't go in the water yourself too many people drown trying to save others.'
Some ferry journeys have also been affected by the bad weather. Changes include times being adjusted on trips to and from Le Havre and Sunday's two Cherbourg to Poole trips being cancelled. A yellow warning of wind covers the entire country, while an amber warning has been issued for south-east England as Ciara rolls down towards the continent. Many attractions have dismayed tourists by shutting shop, including the Royal Parks which announced it will be closing all of London's eight parks, including Green Park, Hyde Park and St James's Park. In a statement, they said: 'In liaison with our tree experts and Health and Safety team we have made this decision to ensure the safety of all park users including vehicle users and cyclists.'
Weather maps show 1,000 mile-wide Ciara being catapulted across the Atlantic, bringing 30ft waves to the south-west and north-west coasts and 50ft waves offshore. Wind will remain a problem tomorrow but it is the additional threat from heavy snow which has prompted yet another yellow warning, between midnight on Sunday and noon on Tuesday. Areas above 490ft (150m) can expect up to an inch of snow, rising to four inches above 980ft (300m). The Met Office has also forecast lightning strikes, blizzards and 'considerable drifting of lying snow'. Looking further ahead, Chief meteorologist Frank Saunders added: 'In the wake of Storm Ciara, it'll remain unsettled and very windy across the UK and it'll turn colder with wintry showers and ice an additional hazard, as we head into the new week.'
Ben Aldous, RAC patrol of the year, said: 'Drivers will need to take extreme care with the strong winds forecast for this weekend, especially on coastal or exposed routes. Combine the strength of the wind with heavy showers, and you have a recipe for some treacherous driving conditions. We strongly recommend drivers reduce their speed and leave plenty of space between their vehicle and those around them, and be particular careful when passing high-sided vehicles when the potential for strong cross-winds could blow them off course. Drivers in rural areas should be particularly cautious of falling debris.'
Heart-stopping moment lifeboat almost capsizes on a mission to rescue 'idiot' surfer as Storm Ciara lashes the Sussex coast
By Isabella Nikolic for MailOnline
A lifeboat almost capsized after being battered by waves on the Sussex coast during a Storm Ciara rescue mission. Heart-stopping footage shows the boat being tossed around by the waves before one huge breaker smacks into its side and forces it out of the water. The volunteers on the boat, from RNLI Hastings, were on a mission to save an 'idiot' surfer who had become separated from his board off the coast of Hastings thanks to 93mph gales from Storm Ciara. Paul Hogg, who uploaded footage of the rescue mission, said: 'Brave boys from RNLI off out to rescue some idiot surfer off Hastings in Storm Ciara. Come home, safe boys.'
In response, one onlooker called Richard Connolly uploaded footage of the surfer in trouble alongside the caption: 'This is the surfer when he lost his board and it went from bad to worse for him. He even refused help from standers-by. He could have prevented this whole scene with the rescuers.'
The surfer is seen thrashing around in the water as waves upon waves of seawater smash into him and drag him further out. The Hastings branch of the RNLI has confirmed that all those on board the boat have returned safely from the mission. In a post on Twitter, they wrote: 'After a dramatic video has been posted most of you know hat we've been out on a shout but we're happy to report that we're all safe, well and uninjured and the boat is undamaged and safely berthed next to RNLI Eastbourne. We're on our way back to Hastings now.'
An RNLI spokesman said that all of their lifeboats are built to withstand harsh conditions. RNLI Poole uploaded the video to Twitter alongside the caption: 'Our colleagues out on a shout at Hastings.
Shocking moment National Express coach avoids being crushed by INCHES as a huge tree is blown into a London street by Storm Ciara
By Jemma Carr for MailOnline
This is the terrifying moment a bus-load of National Express passengers narrowly escape death when a falling tree misses them by seconds. High winds caused by Storm Ciara sent the tree crashing onto the road directly into the path of the coach outside London's Victoria Station earlier today. Storm Ciara has caused gales of up to 93mph, ripping down cranes, windmills and even a pub up and down the country. The shocking dashcam footage, from a car going in the opposite direction, shows the coach turning a corner onto a tree-lined road. One of the trees sways back and forth in the wind as the coach and the car get closer to it. Suddenly, the tree is sent clattering to the tarmac. Branches fall onto the car's windshield as a loud crash is heard before the driver stops and exclaims: 'Bloody hell.'
Reverse dash-cam footage shows just how narrow the bus's escape really was. The falling tree clips the front of the coach as it comes to an emergency stop. A concerned driver comes out from between parked buses to see what happened as the video ends. The clip comes as footage of a hotel collapsing into raging floodwaters in Scotland emerged. Further wintry weather is set to hit the UK on Monday and Tuesday, with the Met Office issuing a yellow warning for snow and ice in the North West, Yorkshire, and the Midlands. The M11 has been shut in both directions in Cambridgeshire after an airport hangar in Duxford airfield, the location of the largest aviation museum in the UK, was damaged by high winds. Gusts of 93 miles per hour were recorded in Aberdaron, a village at the tip of the Llyn Peninsula, in north Wales, while Cumbria saw 151.8mm of rain in 24 hours. The town of Appleby-in-Westmorland in the county was hit by severe flooding as the River Eden burst its banks, with residents battling to protect their homes. Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service urged people not to drive through floodwater after they rescued a number of motorists. Avanti West Coast said no trains will run north of Preston on Sunday until further notice because of the impact of Storm Ciara, and London Euston Twitter account has warned people not to travel. National Express has been approached for comment.
Dramatic moment Scottish hotel COLLAPSES into raging flood water as Storm Ciara unleashes her wrath across the UK
By Phoebe Eckersley for MailOnline
This is the moment a hotel collapsed into raging flood water as Storm Ciara unleashed her wrath across the country and wreaked travel havoc with 93mph gales. The Bridge House Guest House in Hawick, Scotland, was taped off at around 9.30 am by emergency services after water began travelling up the embankment. Fire crews rushed to the scene after the water smashed into the building. Footage shows the exterior of the Scottish Borders hotel crashing into the torrents below, this morning. A large section of the guest house is seen tumbling into the murky water as Storm Ciara batters the UK with more than 90mph winds and heavy rain. A kitchen and former stairway, lined with paintings, is revealed behind the subsiding building. A Police Scotland spokesperson told the Mirror: 'The building has been evacuated and there have been no injuries.'
Hotel guests and staff were seen spilling on to the street as chiefs evacuated it. The building's foundations were partially washed away in the swollen River Teviot. An eyewitness, who was due to stay overnight at the guest house, was advised that his reservation was cancelled due to fears of the hotel's collapse. The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) issued multiple warnings for the Borders after Britain's biggest storm in seven years swept into Scotland. Around 900 properties were without power after the storm affected supplies in Mull and Lochearnhead in Perthshire. Passengers are being advised to check before travelling by several rail companies in Scotland and the United Kingdom and to defer their plans until tomorrow. Hundreds of tourists have been stranded as hundreds of flights into and out of European airports were cancelled as Britain's biggest storm in seven years swept into Scotland, with snow predicted for tomorrow. In Scotland, officials put in place a 40mph speed limit on the Queensferry Crossing, and ferry services were also cancelled after a weather warning for gusts of up to 75mph was issued by the Met Office. British Airways cancelled around 140 flights due to take-off and landing restrictions and Virgin Atlantic grounded a dozen long-haul departures. The storm wreaked havoc and saw a total of 214 flood warnings in place demanding immediate actions, with 177 alerts also suggesting that flooding is possible. Avanti, which runs services on the line from Scotland, northwest England and the West Midlands to London Euston, Tweeted: 'Journey times will be DOUBLED, please avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.'
Thousands stranded as 90mph winds blight airports, rail lines and motorways
By Sophie Law for MailOnline
Storm Ciara is battering the UK with heavy gales and gusts of wind reaching more than 90mph, causing widespread travel chaos. Thousands of passengers have been left stranded across the country after trains and planes were cancelled, with motorways shut as floods rip through towns and waves crash the coastlines. Flooding and debris on rail lines have caused delays and many major stations across the country have been shut due to overcrowding. Meanwhile, hundreds of flights have been grounded - with Gatwick, London's busiest airport, the worst affected with around 300 arrivals and departures cancelled. Planes are being diverted as far as Germany after being unable to land at UK airports due to dangerous weather conditions. British Airways has cancelled flights from Heathrow, Gatwick and London City, while Virgin Atlantic are running a reduced timetable. A plane arriving at Birmingham airport was captured swaying in high winds as the pilot attempted to land amid severe winds conditions. The M11 has been shut in both directions in Cambridgeshire after an airport hangar in Duxford airfield, the location of the largest aviation museum in the UK, was damaged by high winds. The major motorway caused chaos near Stansted Airport, with traffic queuing for more than a mile after Highways England said the hangar is 'likely' to blow onto the road. Highways England tweeted: 'M11 is being closed in both directions between J9 and J10 at Duxford airfield an aircraft hangars roof has been damaged in the wind and is likely to be blown on to the motorway please avoid the area #StumpsCross #Whittlesford #Royston.'
Numerous platforms at London's Victoria Station were closed after the roof was battered from the wind. National Rail issued a warning on Twitter saying: 'Platforms 1-6 at London Victoria are currently closed until further notice due to damage to the roof.'
Network Rail has imposed a blanket speed restriction of 50mph across the network today, warning passengers to only travel if 'absolutely necessary'. Commuters at London's Euston station also faced struggles today as many packed into the station only to be faced with delays. The train firms which have issued 'do not travel' warnings are Gatwick Express, Grand Central, Great Northern, Hull Trains, LNER, Northern, Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink and TransPennine Express. Avanti West Coast said no trains will run north of Preston on Sunday until further notice because of the impact of Storm Ciara, and London Euston Twitter account has warned people not to travel. In Scotland, officials put in place a 40mph speed limit on the Queensferry Crossing, and ferry services were also cancelled after a weather warning for gusts of up to 75mph was issued by the Met Office. Ferries have also been disrupted, as P&O said all services at the Port of Dover were suspended due to strong winds and Mersey Ferries cancelled all services until further notice. London's Gatwick and Heathrow airports have both seen disruption, leaving many passengers faced with hours of chaos. Travellers hoping to arrive at Heathrow were faced with 37 cancellations and a further 50 delayed flights, while Gatwick saw more than 40 delays to both arrivals and departures. Elsewhere around the country, flights are disrupted into and out of airports including the Glasgow, Manchester and Liverpool hubs. Virgin Atlantic has posted a list of cancelled flights on its website. It said it was 'contacting affected customers and rearranging their travel arrangements'.
Fears grow for Britain's largest aviation museum in Cambridgeshire as high winds batter the hangar roof
By Emily Webber for MailOnline
The AirSpace hangar houses some of the world's most famous aircraft including the Lancaster, Spitfire, Concorde and Vulcan. Storm Ciara has caused part of the roof to be ripped open with insulation pictured on the M11. The motorway has been closed between junction 9 and 10 northbound and junction 11 and 9 southbound. Police have warned residents in the vicinity of the hangar to remain indoors as the possibility of the roof being blown off grows. AirSpace officially opened in July 2008 and houses more than 30 aircraft. The collection includes an Airco DH.9 which is a single-engine biplane bomber deployed in the First World War. It is one of six remaining DH.9's in the world and is the only one in the UK. IWM tweeted: 'Extreme weather has caused part of the M11 around IWM Duxford to close. We are monitoring the situation closely and will assess whether the site will re-open tomorrow, Monday 10 February.'
British Airways flight to Heathrow 'travels faster than 800mph' A British Airways flight is thought flown back from New York at more than 800mph. Storm Ciara is battering Britain with wind and torrential rain, but the conditions helped the aircraft get back speedily to the UK. Flight Radar, a popular online tracking service for aircraft, said the BA flight left JFK airport on Saturday and reached Heathrow in four hours and 56 minutes. In a tweet, they said: If we're not mistaken, BA now retakes the fastest subsonic NY-London crossing from Norwegian'.
A spokesman for British Airways said: 'We always prioritise safety over speed records, but our highly trained pilots made the most of the conditions to get customers back to London well ahead of time.'
Travelling in the next 24 hours?
Storm Ciara set to cause significant disruption, but here's what to do to make sure your trip isn't halted
Storm Ciara is set to cause significant disruption across the country today as yellow and amber weather warnings cover the whole of the UK, and airports in every region are braced for cancellations and delays. One expert today said that it's not the airline's fault if you miss your flight due to poor road and rail connections. Emma Grimster, the spokeswoman at TravelSupermarket, said: 'Remember, if you miss your flight due to road conditions or the failure of public transport to get you to the airport, this is your responsibility and the airlines are within their rights to charge you for a new flight. Missed flight cover in a good quality travel insurance policy will be able to help with this. If your flight is cancelled, the airline must give you the option of rebooking an alternative flight, or if there are no suitable flights you can request a refund. If you are delayed by two hours or more, your airline should also provide you with food while you wait and accommodation where appropriate. However, as weather conditions are out of the control of the airlines, they will not be liable for the cost of your onwards accommodation or any other arrangements you have booked ahead. Be aware of what your travel insurance policy offers in terms of assistance to claim back any costs incurred.'
Storm Ciara: How to keep your valuables safe
As the Met puts in place weather warnings across the country it's important to know how your home and business could be hit, and how you can protect it. Aviva stated that simple measures can be put in place in order to prevent you from losing your most precious items. What to do to protect against the storm:
· If possible, park vehicles in a garage, or away from large trees
· If time allows, and it is safe to do so, check for loose tiles on the roof, secure any weak fencing etc to minimise the risk of causing damage to other parts of your property
· Safely store or secure any garden furniture, ornaments, bikes or children's toys / outside play equipment
· Make sure all doors and windows are closed
A diver has died in an accident off Oban in Argyll during Storm Ciara. It is believed the 50-year-old got into difficulties in the Sound of Kerala today. Police said the death was being treated as 'unexplained' but there were 'no suspicious circumstances.' The man was with a group of divers who were located on the shore at the south of Oban. It is believed the death is not weather-related. Oban Lifeboat was unable to reach the group because of the weather coupled with the fact that the ambulance service was already on scene. 'At 10.15 today a 999 call was received by HM Coastguard regarding a diver in difficulty near Oban,' said a statement by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
'A coastguard helicopter, the Oban Coastguard Rescue Team and Oban Lifeboat were sent to the scene. The diver was recovered from the water by people on the scene.'d spokesperson said: 'Police are currently investigating the sudden death of a 50-year-old man in South Oban, around 10.40 am on Sunday. The death is currently being treated as unexplained but there does not appear to be any suspicious circumstances. A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
