Firefighters urge people to stay inside amid storm

Freshwater Bay in West Wight experienced very high winds

Emergency services in the south of England have urged people to stay indoors as Storm Bert swept the country.

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (OFRS) said on Sunday evening it was experiencing very high levels of calls for people in vehicles stuck in flood waters and properties flooding.

Yellow wind and rain warnings are in place across the region, with dozens of weekend events cancelled because of the weather conditions.

A man died in Hampshire after a tree fell on a car on the A34, though officers have not said if the incident was linked to the storm.

'Take action'

Multiple flood warnings have been issued throughout the south.

"Most of our crews are out working hard to assist those in most need prioritising life risk calls," OFRS posted on Facebook. "Now is the time to take action if you are potentially facing flooding."

"We urge you to not travel unless it is absolutely essential," it said.

Thames Valley Police said it had received a number of reports of flooding in Oxfordshire, including Cherwell, West Oxfordshire, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse.

Hailey Road through to Crawley Road in Witney was closed due to flooding on Sunday evening, the force added.

Wind gusts of 74.9mph (127.7km/h) were recorded at the Needles, off the Isle of Wight.

They were the second highest in the UK after the 82mph recorded in the Welsh village of Capel Curig.

Great Western Railway services between Reading and Basingstoke were impacted by the severe weather.

Southwestern Railway services into London Waterloo were also disrupted by a tree blocking the railway between Fleet and Farnborough, in Hampshire.

Sunday was exceptionally mild for November, the Met Office said, with a high of 17.8C (64F) recorded in Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, before 10:00 GMT

'Significant damage'

Weekend closures include Harold Hillier Arboretum and Gardens in Hampshire and Moors Valley Country Park in Dorset.

And organisers of Wokingham's Winter Carnival said the event would not go ahead.

"The high winds being forecast for this Sunday would not allow us to put up the stage, operate the fairground and would be dangerous for our stallholders," they said.

On Saturday Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, closed the light trial around its landscaped gardens, the Christmas market, and the ice rink that it introduced for the first time last week.

The attractions remain closed until 14:00 on Sunday.

Banbury Victorian Christmas Market was cancelled after stalls were blown over during the night.

"Despite our best efforts to secure the stalls overnight, the intensity of the winds has caused significant damage, making it unsafe for our team, traders, and visitors to continue with the event," organisers said.

Damage overnight has led to the cancellation of Banbury Victorian Christmas Market

Banbury Town Council said its Christmas lights switch on event was called off due to "weather conditions and safety concerns".

But it said the "newly designed Christmas lights scheme can be enjoyed from tonight and throughout the festive season".

Cotswold Wildlife Park said only people with pre-purchased tickets and season tickets would be granted access on Sunday. Other visitors were asked to postpone their visits “until conditions improve”.

Hundreds of homes in south Oxfordshire were without power overnight, mainly those with RG9 postcodes.

A tree blocked the railway line between Reading and Basingstoke, at Bramley

In Reading, the planned installation of a new pedestrian and cycle bridge on the A33 Relief Road has has been postponed. Resurfacing work had also been planned.

It means the A33 Relief Road, which was due to shut during the works, will be open as usual.

South Western Railway said trains would be running at reduced speed on all lines, meaning possible delays and disruptions until midday on Monday.

Services between Exeter and London Waterloo will start and finish at Basingstoke.

All services are starting later than usual on Sunday and Monday because of safety checks.

Disruption to the train operator's services was also caused by trees blocking the lines between Reading and Basingstoke, as well as Woking and Farnborough Main.

"Trains were able to be cautioned through the area until our teams were able to get to the site and remove the branches," a Network Rail spokesperson said.