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Storm Eleanor - live updates: Thames Barrier closes as thousands of UK homes left without power amid 100mph winds Storm Eleanor - live updates: British Airways flight abandons landing at London City Airport as winds batter UK
(35 minutes later)
Storm Eleanor has struck the UK overnight, bringing hurricane-force winds, flooding and power cuts to thousands of homes.  
Forecasters warned lives could be at risk from flying debris as the fifth-named storm of the season arrived on Tuesday evening. Storm Eleanor has unleashed violent winds of up to 100mph across the UK, leaving thousands of homes without power and injuring motorists.
The Met Office said Great Dun Fell, the second highest peak in England's Pennines, was hit by 100mph winds overnight, while parts of Northern Ireland suffered gusts of up to 90mph. Widespread disruption is expected throughout Wednesday after the storm swept across the country on Tuesday night carrying heavy rain, hail and dramatic thunder and lightning.
An amber weather warning was issued for southern parts of Northern Ireland and northern England as well as southern fringes of Scotland overnight. Falling trees caused injuries in several parts of the country when they fell on moving cars.
Around 22,000 houses in Northern Ireland and scores more in England were affected by power cuts. A yellow warning of wind was extended for all of England and Wales, most of Northern Ireland and the Scottish Borders until 7pm on Wednesday after an amber warning was put in place for the early hours.
Northern Ireland Electricity Networks said it restored supply to 10,000 properties but another 12,000 would be without power overnight. As the storm bore down on the UK and Ireland, tens of thousands of homes and businesses suffered power outages.
They included 55,000 properties in the Republic and 20,000 customers in Northern Ireland.
Around 2,500 properties between Cornwall and the Midlands were also blighted by power outages, largely due to flying debris, Western Power Distribution said.
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A spokesman said: "It's very difficult to make repairs because we have to think about the safety of our employees, most repairs will start at first light." There were roughly 60 incidents reported as Storm Eleanor barrelled across the network overnight, with Mid-Devon experiencing the worst damage, according to a spokeswoman.
The Humber Bridge was closed to high sided vehicles and caravans on Wednesday morning due to the strong winds. Several major bridges were closed due to high winds and there were numerous reports of fallen trees blocking roads including the M25.
A number of roads were closed due to fallen trees and motorists were warned to avoid all but essential travel. Roads became perilous in some areas, with one man injured in Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales, when a tree fell on his car, the Welsh Ambulance Service said.
In England nearly 2,000 homes were hit by power cuts in the Midlands, as well as around 700 in the South West and 460 in Wales. In England, another falling tree injured two men overnight when it crashed into their car, Hampshire Police said.
The Environment Agency issued 65 flood warnings and dozens of alerts across the country. Officers were called to Lyndhurst Road in the New Forest at around 3.20am, and both occupants of the Ford Focus were taken to hospital by ambulance.
The Dartford Crossing bridge was closed overnight on Tuesday due to the dangerous wind speeds and is due to reopen in time for morning rush hour. Winds from the storm were particularly powerful in coastal areas, including in Cornwall, where a tide-battered harbour wall in Portreath partially collapsed on Wednesday morning.
Vince Crane, of the AA, advised drivers to take extra care in the worsening conditions. Cornwall Police said they were called at around 5.50am due to a very high tide and water coming on to the road.
He said: "Road conditions can quickly deteriorate during very heavy rainfall, with drains becoming swamped or blocked and standing water causing surface spray, reduced visibility and potentially leading to flooding. Closer to shore, cracks began to form in the harbour wall and water poured through it, while some steps collapsed.
"Drivers will need to take extra care and expect delays, even on motorways. A spokeswoman for Cornwall Police said a 25ft to 30ft section was later knocked down further along the wall, but added there was no risk to anybody.
"Strong or sudden gusts of wind are more likely on open stretches of road, when passing bridges or gaps in hedges, or when overtaking high-sided vehicles." Overturned vehicles forced closures on the A1M near Hatfield in Hertfordshire, the M6 near Lancaster and M5 near Worcester, where a recovery operation was required to clear up the contents of a lorry left spilled on the road.
In Ireland, roads were closed in parts of Galway due to flash flooding, while around 55,000 ESB Networks customers were left without power on Tuesday evening. An object in overhead lines between London Paddington and Hayes reduced the number of trains leaving the major hub, while power outages halted rail services between Letchworth Garden City and Cambridge.
A yellow weather warning covering Wales, England, most of Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland was in place overnight to Wednesday. The Met Office said gusts of 100mph were recorded at Great Dun Fell in Cumbria at 1am, while wind speeds reached 90mph at Orlock Head in Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening.
There will be a risk of "injuries and danger to life" from flying debris and large waves along the western coast, the Met Office said. Gusts up to 89mph were recorded on the Isle of Wight at around midnight, while in Northolt, north-west London, speeds of up to 73mph were detected and 77mph gusts were recorded in High Bradfield, South Yorkshire.
Meteorologist Emma Sharples said: "There is likely to be some disruption possibly to public transport, bridges and other public services such as mobile phones and people need to be aware that there could be debris as well." Meteorologist Becky Mitchell said the risk of more "violent storm-force gusts" had lessened, although wind speeds of between 70mph and 80mph could hit some parts.
In Wales, people have been advised to keep a safe distance from the sea as Natural Resources Wales (NRW) issued a series of flood warnings for the south-east, south-west and north coasts. "Storm Eleanor has swept through and the eye is now crossing the North Sea, although there will continue to be strong gusts through the day," she said.
Ceri Jones, from NRW, said: "Large waves could overtop defences and throw up debris - this could easily cause injury or knock you off your feet." "We have seen some heavy showers push through across the south of the UK along with hail, loud thunder and lightning, which has woken people up.
Pembrokeshire County Council also issued a warning for several areas, including Amroth and Newgale, where overtopping waves could cause disruption. "It is possible there will be quite widespread disruption this morning and it is worth checking before you travel."
Additional reporting by PA The Severn River Crossing and the Orwell Bridge in Suffolk were closed in the early hours due to strong winds.
Highways England said there was a possibility that the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge would have to close and the east tunnel of the Dartford Crossing had been shut in case it had to take diverted traffic.
Police forces in Cumbria, Suffolk, Norfolk and Humberside were among those to issue warnings that downed trees had blocked routes.
Isle of Man Police said infrastructure staff worked through the night to remove trees from the roads, while there were multiple reports of roofs coming off buildings, flooding and mud debris.
As well as the problems posed by high winds, the Environment Agency has issued 39 flood warnings and 109 flood alerts, with coastal areas under threat from a combination of a high tide and large waves.
The Thames Barrier was being closed to protect London from swelling tides.
In Cheshire the RSPCA was called to a road in Poynton where a swan had taken up residence in a puddle, blocking traffic
PA