Jonathan Morris
South West

Train services across the south west have been thrown into chaos after Storm Goretti battered the region, with Cornwall hit hardest says GWR., external

The storm has left tracks blocked and signalling systems damaged, forcing widespread cancellations and delays which are expected to continue much of the day, it says.

GWR says engineers need daylight to check for damage before trains can safely run again. Overnight inspections have already revealed serious problems with the signalling system near Par, meaning no trains can pass through Cornwall until repairs are complete.

There are also fallen trees scattered across the network, blocking lines and adding to the delays. Crews are working to clear the debris, but the scale of the damage means services will not resume quickly.

As it stands, there are no trains running in either direction on key routes, including Plymouth to Penzance, Par to Newquay, Truro to Falmouth, and Plymouth to Gunnislake. GWR warns the earliest trains could start moving again is 16:00, but that is only an estimate.

Passengers are being urged not to travel on these routes today. There is no replacement bus service available, so anyone planning a trip should make alternative arrangements.

Rail bosses say safety checks are their top priority before reopening the lines.

A resident of one of the apartment blocks which was evacuated in St Peter Port, Guernsey, says a roof was ripped off by the wind.

Mark Lanyon says he and his son were moved from Maison Haro in Green Lanes to Hotel de Havelet.

"We're pretty much OK, we're all intact at least," he tells BBC Radio Guernsey.

"Last night at about 21:30, I heard what I thought was a wheelie bin scurrying across the ground.

"It transpired about 10 to 15 minutes later, when ambulance and fire brigade turned up, that the roof opposite us had ripped off."

He says cars have been damaged and there is a lot of debris and bits of wood everywhere.

"You're in the hands of everyone else, all the civil protection that turned up, they looked after us very well," Lanyon adds.

"At our block of flats, I don't know how extensive the damage is.

"A couple of my friends that live around each block have been moved to another hotel, they seem to be OK, just waiting for information.

"One of the guys says his roof was basically ripped off, it will be a long time before he's back into his flat."

Charlie Cox from homelessness charity At Home in Guernsey says she was at Perelle last night and they "got absolutely battered but are safe and well".

She says reports of people sleeping in their cars last night were "terrifying" to hear.

Cox told BBC Radio Guernsey people who contacted the charity yesterday did manage to find somewhere safe to be during the storm, either with friends or at a hotel.

George Thorpe
BBC News, South West

The island's government says there will be no bus service this morning as too many routes are blocked.

It says Liberty Bus has confirmed a regular bus service is in operation but people have been urged to check their website and social media updates before travelling.

The government says the plan remains to open schools if it is safe for them to do so.

"If there is a change to opening, schools will email parents directly," a post on Facebook says.

George Thorpe
South West

Several schools across the island say they will not be able to open until later today due to roads near them being blocked by fallen trees or debris.

St Lawrence School says roads from the east, west and north of the school are blocked and it will keep parents updated.

"Hot lunches will unfortunately not be available today," it adds.

Mont a Labbe School says it is due to open at 10:00 GMT after "some damage" was caused to its roof.

It adds "a lot of debris" needs to be cleared from its car park areas.

Le Rocquier School and Grouville School say they will be opening at 10:30 while Rouge Bouillon School says it will open as normal.

Cornwall Council has updated its schools closures website and says 54 schools are opening later than usual in the county.

Most are set to open at 10:00 GMT but some are due to open at 09:30 and 10:30.

A full list of the schools affected can be found here, external.

A reminder you can follow to the latest updates on Storm Goretti on BBC Local Radio.

Listen to the news where you are on BBC Radio Cornwall, BBC Radio Devon, BBC Radio Jersey and BBC Radio Guernsey.

Tree surgeons Hugo Ciotti and Ryan Herbert from RH Tree Services say they have been out dealing with incidents since 03:00 in Guernsey.

Ciotti says it has "been a lot more hectic than we thought" and they were getting through stuff as quick as we can to help people, with the south-west of the island a particular concern.

They have seen a lot of dog walkers walking underneath and are asking them not to because of the danger.

They asked everyone to have patience as they are working flat out

Image source, National Grid

Tens of thousands of homes in Cornwall are still without electricity after Storm Goretti battered the south-west of England.

Steven Joseph, National Grid’s south west operations director, said the "storm hit hard overnight".

“Through the height of the storm, we got to a peak of 55,000 customers off the service.

"We restored 10,000 of those through the night and we're down to just over 42,000 out this morning with Camborne and Falmouth the biggest affected areas."

Fallen trees and flying debris has made it difficult for crews to reach damaged sites, he added.

Extra teams had been drafted in from Bristol, Bath and Wales, with helicopters being used to assess damage and speed up repairs.

He added: "We don’t see 90mph gusts often but these are unprecedented winds and times.”

Check your area for power cuts and get advice on what action to take here., external

Image source, Getty Images

Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly were battered by some of the strongest winds in more than a decade, according to BBC South West meteorologist Bee Tucker.

“In the last 12 years I’ve been working here, I haven’t seen winds like that across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly,” she said.

“We got 99mph on Scilly, but widely along that coast of Cornwall, we’ve had 80mph at Camborne. Parts of Bodmin as well have had 70 to 80mph wind gusts and 90mph at Culdrose.”

The Met Office issued a rare red warning for the region, which has now expired.

Tucker says it was “more than warranted” given the conditions. A yellow wind warning remains in place, but the worst is over, she says.

“The winds, they’re coming down. We’ve still got the odd gust of 50mph, but it will be what we most expect at this time of year," she says.

“We should actually see some sunshine through the afternoon with a few isolated showers.”

Grouville Honorary Police says trees are down across the parish and debris on "all roads".

It says roads in general are passable, but only essential travel is advised with drivers asked to take extra care when travelling.

"Teams are out clearing the roads so please give them space and patience," they say.

"The situation is constantly improving, further updates will be provided from government and parish agencies."

Wind speeds on the Isles of Scilly reached up to 99mph overnight. Bryher resident Issy Tibbs said being in the eye of the storm felt "pretty scary".

"Within half an hour I was siting in darkness, the house was shaking, pictures on the walls - you could see them moving," Izzy told BBC Radio Cornwall.

"To be honest, it was pretty scary.

"We won't know the damage until the sun has come up. It was a big one."

It's the morning after the night before and the effects of Storm Goretti in the South West and the Channel Islands are emerging.

Tens of thousands of properties are without power, roads are closed, and schools are affected.

If you're just joining us here is what we know so far:

• Winds reached 99mph on Isles of Scilly, 80mph in Camborne, and 90mph at Culdrose
• The Met Office issued rare red warning for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, which is now expired; a yellow warning remains until 08:00
• All schools in Guernsey and Alderney are closed due to blocked roads and building damage

• Dozens of schools are opening later in Cornwall
• More than 42,000 properties without power in Cornwall and about 750 are affected in Devon

• Jersey Electricity reported cuts in St Ouen, St John, and St Clement, with more than 100 homes impacted
• Tamar Bridge between Devon and Cornwall temporarily closed Thursday night but has now reopened
• Ferry service reduced to one shuttle due to storm conditions
• Sixty-four trees reported down in Guernsey, blocking major roads and a clean-up is under way
• Two apartment blocks in St Peter Port evacuated after a tree caused structural damage, with 50 people relocated to hotels

Tristen Dodd, the Government of Jersey’s head of highways, transport and infrastructure, says about 86 trees have fallen down across the island.

He told BBC Radio Jersey that debris, including site hoardings, fences, garden sheds and broken glass, is also causing problems.

"It’s a growing picture. As people wake up, we’re getting more reports in," Dodd says.

"It looks like the west of the island has sustained more damage than the east.

"Don’t travel unless you need to at the moment, a lot of the routes are blocked. If you do have to travel, travel with care. Look at the map online and plan your route."

The States of Guernsey says all schools in the island and Alderney will be closed today.

The government says the decision was taken to reduce risks, as many major roads are blocked or covered in debris.

School buildings and facilities have also been damaged in the storm.

"Schools are expected to be open as normal on Monday," the States added.

Image source, Jonathan Keam

There are delays and disruption across several key routes in Cornwall and Devon.

National Highways says the A30 between the A394 and A3074 at St Erth is shut due to "a large number" of fallen trees.

"Devon and Cornwall Police are leading the response with specialist contractors en route to assist," a post on X from National Highways says.

Traffic monitoring website Inrix says roads in and around St Ives are closed including the B3311, Belyars Lane and the B3306 Higher Stennack.

Devon Alert has posted on X saying a large tree has fallen on the A399 in Berrynarbor near Ilfracombe at the junction with Mill Lane, with drivers urged to "approach with caution".

Another post adds the A386 is closed at the junction to Beam House near Monkleigh due to a fallen tree which has become entwined with electrical cables. Motorists are being advised to use alternative routes.

Flooding has also been reported on Maer Lane in Exmouth and along the A35 at Gammons Hill near Axminster.

A home has been evacuated after a roof was damaged in today's storm.

Becky Macdonald, who manages a gift shop in Herm, Guernsey, said she is "wondering what sort of destruction" people will be waking up to.

She lives at the top of the island and says her roof has been damaged, and the property next door had to be evacuated because they were concerned about the building's structural damage.

She added: "The service team here on the island, as soon as it becomes light, will be out and about having a look, and hopefully letting the islanders know that it'll be OK to come down to work this morning.

"Then we can check damage to all the businesses at the bottom of the hill."

Jersey Met has downgraded the wind warning from red to orange after Storm Goretti battered the island overnight.

Drivers are being urged to take extra care as clean-up teams continue their efforts, says the Government of Jersey.

Here's what else is happening:

• Despite the chaos, officials confirmed there were no storm-related injuries.
• Schools are expected to open today, but head teachers will carry out safety checks first. Parents will be contacted directly if a school cannot reopen.
• The hospital plans to run normal services, but staff say the Emergency Department is extremely busy. Islanders are being asked to only attend in a genuine emergency to ease pressure on the system.
• In town, the ice rink structure at the Weighbridge came loose and there was minor damage to the hospital which closed Gloucester Street temporarily, but the road is open now.

Wind gusts in St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, have reached 99mph (159km/h), according to BBC meteorologists.

In Jersey Airport, gusts have been recorded at 91mph, while winds in Culdrose reached 90mph.

The Met Office has urged people to stay indoors.

A reminder you can follow to the latest updates on Storm Goretti on BBC Local Radio.

Listen to the news where you are on BBC Radio Cornwall, BBC Radio Devon, BBC Radio Jersey and BBC Radio Guernsey.