Flood alerts and rail disruption due to storm

Two flood alerts have been issued in Surrey due to rising river levels as a result of Storm Bert

Flood alerts have been issued in Surrey due to rising river levels as a result of Storm Bert.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for wind until 21:00 GMT, with gusts of up to 50mph (80km/h) expected in some areas.

Officials warned that disruption to rail, road, air and ferry services were likely, as well as possible damage to buildings, power cuts and danger to life.

The Upper River Wey and Chertsey Bourne have both been issued with a flood alert by the Environment Agency.

Flooding of low lying land and roads is expected in the Free Prae Road area of Chertsey and the Tilford area, officials said.

Further rainfall is likely and river levels are expected to remain high, and possibly rise, in the coming days.

The public have been urged by the Environment Agency to avoid using low lying footpaths near local watercourses.

Property flooding is not currently expected.

Surrey Police also urged residents to “stay safe”.

“The storm may cause fallen trees, debris, power cuts, road closures and delays to public transport,” a spokesperson said.

• Homes and roads flooded as Storm Bert continues to hit UK

Meanwhile, some Southern rail services are expected to be cancelled or delayed as a result of the severe weather until 10:00 on Monday.

A fallen tree was blocking the line between Ashtead and Leatherhead at about 10:00, causing services to Dorking to terminate or start at Epsom.

Services between Epsom and Dorking are now back running as usual.

And all lines from Cobham and Stoke D'abernon to Oxshott were also blocked by a fallen tree.

Painshill Gardens in Cobham was closed on Sunday due to the high winds forecast, but a Festive Family Fun Day in Guildford on Sunday still went ahead.

Guildford councillor Catherine Houston said as many activities as possible had been moved indoors.

She added: "It is all happening. Luckily we have got some indoor places people can go and hopefully the rain will stop for a little bit and people can get out and about."

RHS Garden Wisley closed for the day and its Glow event was cancelled to “ensure the safety of all our visitors, staff and volunteers”.

“We are very sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment this is likely to cause,” a spokesperson said.

'Dangerous'

The Met Office said the strong winds were likely to cause “dangerous coastal conditions”.

Officials warned of a small chance of injuries from flying debris and from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.

More than 200 flood alerts have been put in place across the UK, while about 350,000 homes had lost power, though most have been reconnected.

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