UK storms: Wind and rain as flooding continues

Strong winds and heavy rain have lashed southern England as widespread flooding continues to hit parts of the UK.

An 85-year-old man died after a freak wave hit a British cruise ship in the English Channel.

And 32 people had to be rescued from a beach restaurant in Milford on Sea, Hampshire, after wind-blown shingle smashed windows and water rushed in.

Severe weather warnings are in place for the south of England, south Wales, Northern Ireland and northern Scotland.

Winds of up 80mph (129km/h) - combined with ongoing problems due to flooding - have also caused major disruption to roads and railways.

BBC weather presenter Nick Miller said the latest storm to hit the UK left its mark as a deep area of low pressure moved north.

He said: "Saturday will start very windy with bands of wet weather working south around that area of low pressure as it pulls away to the north east."

The Environment Agency has 21 severe flood warnings - meaning "danger to life" - in place, as well as about 200 flood warnings and more that 300 flood alerts in England and Wales. There are a handful of flood alerts in Scotland.

Ship airlift

Several passengers were injured when water crashed through a window of cruise ship the MS Marco Polo, as it headed for its home port of Tilbury in Essex.

The man, and a woman in her 70s, were airlifted off the ship but he later died.

In Milford on Sea, the Army had to be called in to help emergency services rescue diners at a beachfront restaurant.

The BBC's David Fenton said rocks and shingle from the beach were flung at the building, smashing 6ft plate glass windows, as well as the windows of Army and fire trucks.

Conditions were described as "extremely dangerous" but police said there had been no serious injuries in the incident.

Elsewhere, two hill walkers who became disorientated in poor weather conditions at the summit of Ben Nevis on Friday had been found safe and well, Police Scotland said on Saturday morning.

Cancelled trains

The Energy Networks Association said more than 41,000 properties were without power across Wales and southern England, although more than half a million homes had been reconnected since Wednesday.

The M40 has been closed in several places by fallen trees and a number of major bridges are shut because of high winds.

The Highways Agency said the QE2 Bridge and the Sheppey Crossing in Kent would remain closed until the winds eased, which is expected to be around mid-afternoon on Saturday.

South West Trains has cancelled all services before 08:00 GMT so lines can be checked for fallen trees and other obstructions.

In south-west England, First Great Western said weather conditions had made it too dangerous to run any trains in Cornwall.

A landslip blocked the line between London and Redhill near Merstham Tunnel, causing delays for thousands of passengers.

Shipping containers protecting the damaged seafront railway at Dawlish in Devon were breached, leaving properties at risk of flooding.

The Environment Agency confirmed that sirens had sounded on Portland, where there was a severe flood warning for Chiswell.

In other developments:

• The Environment Agency said river levels were expected to rise and stay high for several days after rainfall on Friday
• Tens of thousands of sandbags are being used in counties including Gloucestershire, Somerset, Berkshire and Surrey
• Princes William and Harry joined the effort to pile sandbags in Datchet, Berkshire
• About 2,200 armed forces personnel - regulars and reserves - helped the flood relief effort and a further 3,000 were on stand-by to respond within two hours, according to Maj Gen Patrick Sanders, assistant chief of defence staff
• Flood defences in Gloucester were succeeding in holding back the water, according to the Environment Agency
• Buckingham Palace said the Queen was supporting farmers affected by the flooding on the Somerset Levels by contributing feed and bedding from the royal farms at Windsor
• Major supermarkets are providing supplies such as waders, food parcels, batteries and torches
• Police appealed to drivers across Northern Ireland to take extra care as rain and snow disrupted travel
• The AA urged drivers to try to travel only during daylight

Some parts of the Somerset Levels have been flooded for several weeks, while areas near the Thames in Berkshire and Surrey have seen major flooding in recent days.

Prime Minister David Cameron has said the government will "fight at every front to help people" hit by floods.