In pictures: Strong winds and rain batter the UK
- Published
Waves pound Dawlish, Devon, where a section of sea wall under the railway line collapsed, leaving the track suspended in mid-air. The line is of strategic importance as it connects the South West with the rest of England.
As well as wrecking the railway line in Dawlish, the storm left thousands of homes without power.
Rail services between Exeter St Davids and Penzance have been suspended. Police say both the track and the railway station at Dawlish suffered "severe damage".
Police are urging people to stay away from coastal areas and have warned motorists to "expect the unexpected" if driving on rural roads.
In Plymouth, police said the Hoe area was being hit by large waves which were causing damage to some properties. "We are currently working with the local authority to make the area as safe as possible," a spokesman said.
A section of the Tinside Lido, in Plymouth, was damaged. Martin Weiler, from the Environment Agency, said: "We've had an horrendous night with a ferocious cocktail of elements coming together to batter the south Devon coast."
Residents in Topsham, near Exeter, were given sandbags to protect their properties.
In Kingsand in south-east Cornwall, a clock tower is in danger of collapsing after being battered by waves. Twenty homes were evacuated.
A view of the 148-year-old West Pier in Brighton, East Sussex, part of which collapsed in the high winds and stormy seas.
Road users also struggled in the stormy conditions. This lorry overturned on the A35 between Bridport and Dorchester.
The Republic of Ireland has also been badly hit by storms, with floodwaters surging through the city centre streets in Cork