Preston bus station damaged in gale-force winds

The western side of Preston bus station was cordoned off after large panes of glass fell in the strong winds

Gale-force winds have damaged Preston bus station, forcing part of it to close.

Eight large panes of glass became dislodged during the storm, with some falling on to the inner concourse of the Grade II listed station.

The Tithebarn Street and the city centre-facing sides have been cordoned off by Lancashire County Council while the damage is assessed and repaired.

It will be closed until the end of the week. Nobody was hurt in the incident.

In Greater Manchester, meanwhile, fire crews had to rescue motorists caught in floodwater.

Damage means buses have been moved to stands on the eastern side of Preston bus station

Two men were helped out of a van in Bury and a man was stranded in a car in Tottington.

Fire crews also rescued a horse from a farm in Carrington after it got stuck in mud caused by the recent prolonged heavy rain.

Firefighters from Sale and Eccles helped local farmers winch the horse to safety.

All Met Office severe weather warnings for the North West have now been removed but an Environment Agency flood alert is in place on the River Dee from Whitchurch to Chester.

An earlier alert on on the Upper River Irwell at Oldham, Bolton, Rochdale, Haslingden, Ramsbottom and Rawtenstall is no longer in place.

Engineers from Electricity North West have now restored power to about 11,000 homes that had suffered power cuts as a result of the high winds.

Deep floodwaters in Bury caused a van to become partly submerged