Storm Ciara: Man dies as tree falls on car in Hampshire

A man died when a tree fell on to his car as Storm Ciara swept across England on Sunday.

The 58-year-old, from Hampshire, was driving his Mercedes home from Winchester when the tree hit him on the A33 on Sunday afternoon.

Hampshire Constabulary said he died at the scene near Micheldever at about 16:00 GMT.

In a statement, the force said the man's next of kin had been informed.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews worked on the trapped vehicle for four-and-a-half hours.

The Met Office said "a spell of very strong winds," with gusts of up to 70mph, was expected across southern England into Monday evening.

Some parts experienced a month-and-a-half's rainfall on Sunday and gusts of up to 97mph.

Environment secretary Theresa Villiers told the House of Commons that more than 500 properties had been flooded, with that expected to rise.

That figure includes 260 in Yorkshire, 150 in Greater Manchester, 100 in Lancashire and 40 in Cumbria.

UK Power Networks said 3,950 properties across East England had no power, while in the South East, the "final few properties" were having power restored.

Western Power Distribution, which serves the Midlands and the South West, said 3,000 homes were affected.

A lifeboat tipped alarmingly in heavy seas near Hastings, East Sussex, on Sunday, in footage which was posted on social media.

The RNLI said the self-righting boat was undamaged and the crew unharmed.

The boat had been tasked to rescue a surfer who later washed ashore, without any reported injuries.

Flights, ferries and trains all saw cancellations and delays on Sunday and Monday, while drivers faced treacherous conditions with floodwater, fallen trees and other debris closing roads.

Across the whole of the UK about 539,000 households experienced a power cut at some point on Sunday, according to Energy Networks.

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said about 1,500 customers, mostly in Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Dorset, were still without power at 13:30.

The Yorkshire Dales and the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire were badly hit by flooding over the weekend, while the River Ouse burst its banks in York.

There are numerous reports of rail disruption, and at Gatwick at least 190 flights were cancelled on Sunday.

A Grade I listed church in Leicestershire had part of its roof blown off.

Flights in and out of East Midlands Airport were temporarily suspended due to snowfall so the runway could be de-iced and cleared earlier on Monday, with a small number diverted.

BBC journalist John Bray was travelling from Knock to East Midlands Airport, but his flight was diverted to Manchester Airport.

The runway was closed between 15:00 and 16:00, but has since reopened.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said emergency financial assistance would be made available to councils in West Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire following the storm.

British Airways said earlier there would be a "minor knock-on effect" to Monday's schedule at Heathrow and Gatwick, adding anyone flying short-haul to either airport could choose to travel another time.

Southern services between Ashford International and Ore are running at a reduced speed due to a tree blocking the line and trains are also at a standstill between Horsham and Dorking due to a fallen tree on the line at Holmwood.

In Bedfordshire, part of Luton station's roof blew off on Sunday and although the station has reopened, the car park remains shut.

The gable end of a house in Leicester collapsed on to the road early on Monday, crushing a car underneath.

The owner of a house in Hamilton Circle, on the corner of Pickhill Road, said the family was woken just after 04:30 and thought the crashing sound was an "earthquake".

"Our neighbours woke up and told us our whole roof had fallen down," he said.

In Cambridgeshire, part of the M11 was closed as the roof of an aircraft hangar at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford was at risk of blowing on to the road.

The road reopened at 12:30 after the building was reassessed by engineers, police said.

A lorry overturned shortly before midday on the M48 old Severn Bridge. It is expected to be cleared between 22:00 and 22:15, Highways England said.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council said Bournemouth seafront was "largely inaccessible" with sand on the promenades lying a foot deep in parts, making them impassable for cyclists, wheelchairs and pushchairs.

A spokesman said teams were working to clear them but due to "forecasted strong winds and the amount of sand" it would "take some time".

Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire said it would stay shut on Monday for a second day.

"Our staff have been working tirelessly to make sure our animals are safe and warm, and we're very grateful to them for all their hard work," a statement said.