Storm Malik: 4,000 Northumberland and County Durham homes without power

Thousands of homes and businesses are without power for a third day after two storms caused widespread damage.

Several schools are closed, part of the Tyne and Wear Metro remains shut and there are warnings of delays on the East Coast mainline after it reopened.

Northern Powergrid said there were 4,000 still without power from Storm Malik and a further 3,000 hit by the impact of Storm Corrie on Sunday.

More than 240 are cut off in Cumbria but should be reconnected today.

Northern Powergrid said about 80,000 homes were hit by power cuts on Saturday but the vast majority had been reconnected.

Jim Cardwell, from the company, told BBC Radio Newcastle Storm Malik brought "pretty significant winds" causing "windborne debris and tree damage".

"We've had a very busy weekend," he said, adding: "We are relatively pleased with progress but are sorry for those who have had to wait."

"Our work today is getting everyone connected as soon as possible but we think unfortunately there is a risk a small number will go into Tuesday."

Northern Powergrid said there were still 200 "damage points" on the network that needed to be fixed.

"We are still assessing the impact of Storm Corrie, but we currently know of around 3,000 customers that are without power, over and above the customers affected by Storm Malik," a spokeswoman said.

"The picture will become clearer as customers contact us and our teams survey the network.

"We are confident that with the teams we have in place, if we are not able to get everyone reconnected, only a small proportion will have to wait until Tuesday."

Durham County Council staff had been clearing fallen trees and other debris from roads and all were expected to be reopened by the end of the day.

Electricity North West said about 8,000 homes had been affected with about 200 homes in Grasmere and more than 40 in Ambleside still without power overnight on Sunday.

However, all were due to be reconnected by Monday afternoon, the company said.

Rail services between Newcastle and Scotland resumed shortly after 09:00 after the line was closed by storm damage over the weekend.

Network Rail said its staff had faced "an exceptionally challenging weekend with two significant storms bringing severe weather".

Passenger trains between Edinburgh and Newcastle are initially required to run at slower speeds than normal leading to further delays to journeys, the firm added.

Strong winds closed the entire Tyne and Wear Metro network on Saturday, with gusts of 93mph recorded at Brizlee Wood in Northumberland.

Operator Nexus said trains were back up and running, except between Benton and Monkseaton due to damage.

Swarland Primary School and Broomhill First School in Northumberland will both be closed on Monday as will Mortimer Community College in South Shields.

A major incident was declared in Northumberland and County Durham after the storm brought down trees and power lines.

Northern Powergrid said the damage was not as extensive as that caused by Storm Arwen in November which saw many homes left without power for more than six days.

The firm said it put in place two "key lessons" learned from Storm Arwen, namely improving its power checker website during periods of high demand and doing "a better job" in giving people estimated times of restoration.

Stewart Sexton, 58, from Alnwick, Northumberland, said he was "enraged" after he lost power for 35 hours over the weekend, having previously been badly affected by Storm Arwen.

"It's all about a lack of maintenance of the infrastructure and no resilience plan from Northern Powergrid."

Mr Sexton said he had had power cuts totalling 298 hours since 26 November.

"By any reckoning that must be unacceptable and it indicates that there is certainly something wrong with the infrastructure around our communities while neighbouring larger villagers didn't lose power at all."

Jonathan Hart, from Pigdon near Morpeth, Northumberland, said the temperature in his home had been "absolutely Baltic" over the weekend.

He said: "The fire's OK so we have just pitched up in the front room, bring the duvets downs and it's like a camping adventure."

Peter Isgate, who lives in Finchale Abbey Village, County Durham, said power had been off in the residential park since Saturday morning.

Northern Powergrid arrived on Monday morning.

The 65-year-old council worker said: "The average age is around 70, 75. Some people have got electric hobs so they've got no heating at all.

"Most of them have got dogs so the animals are suffering, they're suffering. There's been nobody down to see them.

"They've offered to bring coffee and hot food this morning. It's not about food, you know.

"You can get a takeaway or something like that.

"It's about heat and cold, old people feel it, and it just seems like they're getting ignored."

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