How Storm Darragh’s impact was felt in the South West

Storm Darragh brought 90mph winds to the South West this weekend, sparking widespread disruption as roads were blocked and people were left without power.
The worst of the storm hit in the early hours of Saturday 7 December. A red weather warning was issued for parts of Wales and the west coast of England – including in Somerset and Devon.
People were urged to stay indoors as winds in excess of 90mph hit.
Here’s how the storm impacted the West Country
Power outages
Thousands of homes in the South West are without power on Sunday morning, according to the National Grid.
Special welfare vans have been set up in parts of Wiltshire to provide support for those left without power. Wiltshire Council said vans were stationed in Bradford-on-Avon and Alderbury.
Travel disruption
Both of the bridges into Wales were closed on Saturday with many of the region’s key routes also blocked by fallen trees and power cables.
Train services to much of Devon and Cornwall were cancelled due to debris blocking the lines. This has continued into Monday 9 December with many services cancelled and buses operating in their place.
Bristol and Exeter airports also saw disruption, with long delays and cancellations particularly prevalent in Bristol on Saturday 7 December.
People travelling by boat were also impacted, with all sailings were cancelled on St Mawes Passenger Ferry between St Mawes and Falmouth due to the poor weather conditions.
Event cancellations
Storm Darragh forced many events and Christmas markets to be cancelled over the weekend while attractions were also closed.
Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire is one of the attractions that had to close because of the storm. The estate has announced it will be closed for a second day because of damage caused by the strong winds.
Head of Operations Scott Ashman said: “Just as two weeks ago, our crews are working around the clock to make the site safe and repair the damaged lanterns so we can ensure The Festival of Light is as spectacular as it was before Storm Darragh hit.
“It’s as disappointing for us as it is for guests when we have to close. However, we also know they will understand that safety must come first, and we want to ensure when we do open that the experience is as good as they expect it to be.”
Automatic refunds have been put in place and the Park has increased the number of twilight tickets available for those who wish to reschedule.