Bedfordshire Fire Service and the East of England Ambulance service have been praised for rescuing a driver caught up in the "atrocious conditions".

This is the scene in Wigan, where strong winds ripped up this tree and sent it crashing down on some unfortunate motorist's car.

Image source, Victoria Gregson/PA Wire

The sea front at Caswell Bay on the Gower peninsula near Swansea has been covered by sea foam whipped up by stormy conditions.

Winds of up to 86mph (138km/h) have been recorded in Wales.

Like elsewhere in the UK, Wales has been hit by cancellations on rail, air and sea, with some roads across the country blocked by fallen trees and landslides.

Photographer Thomas Beresford captured these dramatic images of flooding in Hawes, North Yorkshire.

Image source, Thomas Beresford/PA Wire

Image source, Thomas Beresford/PA Wire

Scenes from Lancashire show flood water on roads between Padiham, Read and Simonstone.

It's not just in the UK that has seen disruptions, with sporting fixtures across Belgium and the Netherlands also affected.

Network Rail has imposed a blanket speed restriction of 50mph across the network on Sunday, and is telling passengers to avoid travelling by rail, if possible.

The rail firms which have issued "do not travel" warning, external for Sunday are Gatwick Express, Grand Central, Great Northern, Hull Trains, LNER, Northern, Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink and TransPennine Express.

Flooding and debris on the tracks have also caused delays and cancellations to many services around the UK.

Some of the train companies affected by the weather include:

• Avanti West Coast - no trains running north of Preston

• Grand Central - all services cancelled on Sunday

• East Midlands Railway - trains not running between Luton and St Pancras

• Cross Country - services unable to stop at Birmingham International and Coventry

Dramatic to look at but dangerous too - these waves can be seen crashing into the sea wall at Newhaven in East Sussex.

Image source, PA Media

The Piccadilly Line has been suspended between South Harrow and Uxbridge in London after a tree fell in the Eastcote area.

The Queen has not been able to attend church this morning in Norfolk due to “public safety reasons” caused by the storm.

She is not the only one to have her Sunday plans scuppered, as many events have been cancelled or postponed.

For example, the Scotland's Women's Six Nations match against England has been postponed.

The Premier League tie between Manchester City and West Ham United is off.

Arsenal's Women's Super League game against Tottenham has also been called off.

Horse racing at Exeter and Southwell have been cancelled

London's eight Royal Parks, which include Hyde Park and Regent's Park, remain closed and in Kent, the Dartford Crossing is closed to traffic.

The heaviest rain is expected over high ground where 50-70mm is expected, with as much as 100mm in a few locations.

The Environment Agency has issued more than 100 flood warnings - meaning flooding is expected In England, while there are almost 60 in Scotland and 10 in Wales.

Gusts of 50-60mph are expected quite widely across inland areas as the storm passes over the UK, reaching 80mph in coastal areas - particularly in south-east England and northern Scotland.

Amber weather warnings for wind and heavy rain are in place for most of the UK, with gusts of up to 90mph expected, and more than 150 flood warnings have been issued.

Welcome to our coverage of Storm Ciara as it takes effect across the UK - severe gales and heavy rain are having a severe impact on air, rail, road and ferry travel.