Storm Otto brings travel disruption and leaves thousands of homes without power

Storm Otto has brought travel disruption and left thousands of homes without power as it makes its way across northern England and Scotland.

The storm caused trains and flights to be cancelled on Friday morning, with three overturned lorries blocking traffic on the A1(M).

A Met Office weather warning for high winds is in place until 2pm for Yorkshire and north-east England, and 3pm for Scotland, with the forecaster warning of power cuts, damage to buildings and potential injuries and danger to life from flying debris.

The Met Office said gusts of 75-80mph had been recorded across parts of northern Scotland.

About 19,000 homes were left without power over 143 incidents, Northern Powergrid said. More than 11,000 are said to have since had supplies restored.

A Northern Powergrid spokesperson said: “At present, for customers impacted, we’re hopeful that the majority of customers will have their power restored today, with the potential of a small number that may run into Saturday.”

North Yorkshire Police said they had received “numerous calls” involving high-sided vehicles being blown over on the A1(M) and other routes, and urged motorists to “slow down”.

Leeds Bradford Airport remained open but a spokesperson said the weather had caused disruption to flight schedules.

“We currently remain open but are experiencing some delays and disruptions to flights. We’d recommend passengers check with their airlines and on our website for live updates,” the spokesperson said.

Two lorries were reported to have blown over on the A1(M) in North Yorkshire, causing traffic problems, while the road was closed between junctions 60 and 59 in County Durham after two vehicles overturned, National Highways said.

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) said a number of services had been cancelled, and train firm Northern said a tree was blocking the line between Harrogate and Knaresborough, affecting a range of services.

The company also said: “Due to an object being caught on the overhead electric wires at Wakefield Westgate, all lines are blocked. Train services running through this station will be cancelled, delayed by up to 25 minutes or diverted.”

There were also reports of trees blocking some roads in Harrogate and LeedsA man was taken to hospital in a serious condition after a tree fell on a street in Sheffield.

South Yorkshire Police said they were called to Endcliffe Vale Road at 8.50am on Friday.

A spokesperson said: “A man in his 50s was injured and was taken to hospital in serious condition. A property nearby was also damaged and structural engineers are at the scene.”

A tree toppled onto a Porsche on Granby Road in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, causing anxiety for drivers in the area.

Charlie Lowe, a 29-year-old cake business owner from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, photographed the crushed Porsche on her way to work, telling the PA news agency: “I felt shocked and I think it’s nerve-wracking.

“I felt a bit nervous driving around Harrogate as a result.”

The storm, the first to be named this winter, has been labelled Otto by the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI).

It is the first named storm to directly impact the UK this storm-naming season, which began in September.

The first storm named by the Met Office, or the Irish and Dutch weather services, this season will still be Storm Antoni, in accordance with the 2022/23 storm name list.