The day it was so windy the waterfall ran uphill: Britain battered by 106mph gales which leave two dead - and there's more to come in the next 24 hours

  • Winds of 106mph recorded in Pennines. Force 11 winds batter Channel
  • Atlantic front hits UK with fierce winds and heavy rain
  • Van driver, 50, killed by tree falling on his vehicle as gales cause havoc
  • Sailor also dies after tanker in English Channel is hit by wave
  • Extreme weather causes misery for millions heading back to work
  • Roads closed and trains delayed by fallen trees
  • Roof of grandstand blown off at Epsom Downs Racecourse, Surrey
  • Trains affected as passengers are urged not to travel
By Chris Parsons, Gareth Finighan and Luke Salkeld

Last updated at 12:33 AM on 4th January 2012
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Winds of up to 106mph battered Britain yesterday, bringing death and destruction as many returned to work after the Christmas holidays.
A driver was killed when a tree fell on his van. The storm also claimed the life of a man on board a tanker which was hit by a huge wave in the Channel.
Barely a single area was spared the onslaught roaring in from the Atlantic, which toppled lorries and brought down power lines.
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Crushed: The driver of a single decker bus in Witley, Surrey, was badly injured when an oak tree came crashing down on the vehicle

Lucky to be alive: The driver was cut free from the wreckage by firefighters and rushed to hospital

Buildings were damaged, roads closed and trains, flights and ferries were cancelled.
The Met Office issued numerous severe weather warnings and emergency services urged motorists and pedestrians to stay indoors.
However, some had to be evacuated from their houses because of flooding.
Sleet and snow added to the problems in some parts, bringing a cold wake-up call to Britain in 2012 after an unusually mild festive season.


Peeled off: The roof of a lorry blown off in severe storms causes chaos on the M5 in Somerset




Upside down: Coastguard search and rescue had to attend a caravan park 300 miles from the Outer Hebrides when a home appeared to be flipped on to its roof near Dunoon in Argyll and Bute




Overturned: A lorry lies on its side after being blown over by high wind on the A66 in County Durham, as gusts of up to 85mph battered the country

Heavy damage: A large tree rests on three cars after being blown over in Havant, Hampshire

Tragedy: Emergency services at the scene in Tunbridge Wells where a 50-year-old van driver was killed when a tree fell on his vehicle in high winds










Flooded engine: A car lies partially submerged in the River Chew, Somerset. Emergency services had to rescue a woman from the car as it became trapped in floodwaters

Water sight: In the valley of High Cup Nick, Cumbria, gale force winds blew water from a waterfall upwards into the sky

A Met Office spokesman said last night: ‘An intense Atlantic storm passed over the UK bringing some very strong winds with it.
‘We do expect stormy conditions at this time of year, but the strength of this one was unusual.’
The driver who died was a man in his 50s whose identity has not been revealed.
A 3ft-diameter tree trunk smashed on to his van in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.


Whose idea was it to go for walkies? This Tibetan Terrier braves the wind in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire


Over and out: These two lorries ended up on their sides after being hit by high winds


Devastated: In Belfast, Billy McCullough and his son Adam survey their flattened car

Numerous roads near rivers and the coast were shut after flood alerts, with the Environment Agency issuing 21 river alerts in the South West alone.
Waves hit massive heights around the coast and Portland Coastguard in Dorset, where 45ft breakers rolled in, warned people to keep their distance today.
A spokesman said: ‘Often people like to walk along harbour walls or go on the beach to see the waves, but they really do need to keep well clear – it is very dangerous.’

On a wing and a prayer: A passenger jet gets blown of course while attempting to land in gale force winds at England's highest airport, Leeds Bradford International


Stranded: Passengers at Heathrow Airport wait for news of their flights, which were disrupted by the weather


The Norman Spirit ferry limps into Dover, Kent, as fierce storms batter Britain, with heavy rain and winds gusting up to 85mph

Sailing training yacht Liquid Vortex and its amateur crew of seven had to be rescued off the coast of Kent when it was battered by violent winds of up to storm force 11




Danger zone: This tree came crashing down on a street in Glasgow, as parts of Scotland were placed on red alert with 100mph winds and heavy rain lashing the region







Clinging on: An elderly lady holds on to a lamp post in the face of strong winds in South Shields. Right, a woman braves the elements in Westminster, London




Workers rushed to Epsom Downs Racecourse after part of the roof on the grandstand was blown off during strong winds