Paul Gambaccini: BBC DJ Held Over Sex Claims

Veteran BBC broadcaster Paul Gambaccini has been arrested on suspicion of historical sexual offences.

He was held at his home in south London on Tuesday morning as part of Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree.

The radio presenter, whose broadcasting career spans 40 years at the BBC, answered questions in police custody before being released on bail.

A BBC spokesman said Gambaccini denies the allegations against him.

"Paul Gambaccini has decided that, in light of [Friday's] media attention, he would rather not be on-air at present and we respect that decision," he said.

"Therefore, Paul will not be presenting on BBC Radio in coming weeks and replacement programmes for the period will be announced soon."

Yewtree has been investigating claims of historical sexual offences since the Jimmy Savile scandal broke last year.

Scotland Yard detectives have run the investigation in three strands - allegations involving Savile, those involving Savile and others, and those involving others.

Gambaccini was arrested under the strand known as "others", meaning the arrest is not connected to the Savile inquiry.

The DJ, one of Britain's foremost authorities on music, hosts a weekly show on BBC Radio 2.

He is the 15th person arrested under Yewtree and was bailed until January.

The presenter was highly vocal last year in the wake of Savile's years of sexual abuse being made public, and said it was known among BBC staff that the late presenter targeted vulnerable, "institutionalised" young people.

A 16th person - a 74-year-old who has not been named - was arrested at a separate address in south London on Tuesday, and also bailed until January.

 

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Pizza Delivery Driver Murder: Two Charged

Two people have been charged with the murder of pizza delivery driver Thavisha Lakindu Peiris, South Yorkshire Police have said.

Shamraze Khan, 25, of Southey Crescent, Sheffield, and a 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are both due to appear at Sheffield Magistrates' Court later.

Mr Peiris had been delivering his last ever pizza when he was stabbed to death in his car in the Southey area of the city.

The 25-year-old was on his final shift before starting his dream job as an IT consultant.

He was found dead in a silver Toyota Yaris car in Southey Crescent at about 10.30pm by fellow Domino's workers who had gone looking for him after he failed to deliver his order.

His family described him as the "most caring and loving son a parent could have".

Speaking from their family home in Sri Lanka, his father Sarath Mahinda Peiris and mother Sudarma Narangoda said: "We sent our son to the UK to study so he can have a better life. Now we are left with only a broken heart.

"We were devastated and shocked to hear of our son's tragic end and we are still unable to comprehend that he is actually gone.

"Thavisha was one of the most caring and loving sons a parent could have. He was full of life and always had a smile on his face. Anyone who met him immediately liked him."

Mr Peiris came to the UK to finish an IT degree and graduated from Sheffield Hallam University in 2011.

His colleagues and police said he had been feeling unwell during his last shift and was going to go home early but agreed to deliver one last order.

Domino's Pizza has said it was funding the cost of flying his family to the UK in the coming days.

More follows...

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Cameras To Film Appeal Court After Campaign

By Ian Woods, Senior News Correspondent

Legal and broadcasting history will be made later when cameras are allowed to film inside the Royal Courts of Justice for the first time.

Permission has been granted to show civil and criminal cases at the Court of Appeal, although there are heavy restrictions on what can be filmed.

Cameras have been banned from courts in England and Wales since 1925.

The rules in Scottish courts are different and earlier this year cameras were allowed to film a murder trial - but only with the permission of all the participants, including the defendant.

Sky News and other broadcasters have been campaigning for a decade for cameras to be allowed to show all trials.

After prolonged negotiations, the Government and the judiciary have agreed to allow cameras inside certain courtrooms.

The move has been welcomed by the Lord Chief Justice for England and Wales, Lord Thomas.

"My fellow judges and I welcome the commencement of broadcasting in the Court of Appeal," he said.

"The Court of Appeal has been open to the public and to journalists for a very long time.

"The bringing of cameras into the Court of Appeal and the recording of its proceedings will enable those to be understood much better by the public as a whole.

Four remotely controlled cameras will be placed in the courtroom

"We hope it will increase confidence in the administration of justice."

Sky News, the BBC, ITN and the Press Association have co-operated on the project, and hired a video-journalist who will recommend which are the most interesting cases on a daily basis.

For now, only one courtroom per day can be televised. Matt Nicholls, an experienced court reporter, will place four remotely-controlled cameras in the courtroom before the case begins.

But he is not allowed to show anyone other than the judges and the lawyers arguing the case.

The dock, where the defendant or appellant sits, will be off-limits and there are no witnesses or jurors in the Court of Appeal.

Mr Nicholls said: "There are very strict rules on what we can and cannot shoot.

"You can't show a reaction shot of a judge. You can only show someone when they're actually speaking, so I'll be making sure I get those permitted shots.

"There's no swearing or graphic language, or anything that legally we can't broadcast."

He has the ability to censor the broadcast feed by muting the sound or cutting the video on the direction of the judges.

A number of monitors will be linked to the cameras

The portable broadcasting equipment has been designed by Sky News technical staff and the control panel is housed in an oak trolley to try to blend in with the historic courtrooms in which it will sit.

Civil cases can be broadcast almost in real time, though there is a 70-second delay built into the feed to allow for contentious material to be removed.

And criminal appeals must be recorded and only broadcast if a retrial has not been ordered, in case a future jury member becomes familiar with the evidence.

Mr Nicholls added: "The judges have been very keen to see the equipment and see how it works.

"But really we don't want to impact on the court business. We've got the cameras and the equipment, but really we shouldn't be getting in the way."

Sky News Associate Editor Simon Bucks, who has led the negotiations over the introduction of cameras into court, said: "Yes it is quite limited, but it is definitely a first step.

"It's not surprising that both the politicians and the judiciary wanted to do this in baby steps and the Court of Appeal is a good place to start doing this.

"But we're really optimistic that this will work well and it won't be long before we're able to get into criminal trials, initially to hear judges deliver sentencing remarks.

"The first thing we have to do is to show that we can do this thing in the Court of Appeal responsibly and effectively."

The control panel will be housed in an oak trolley

But critics fear it could open the door to American-style televised justice.

Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, a leading barrister who also became a successful broadcaster, told Sky News that while she supports cameras in the Court of Appeal, she opposes the televising of criminal trials.

"The television companies are playing a longer game here," she said.

"They want to get into the higher courts and they will behave perfectly well and most of the nation will doze off because what we lawyers do in the courts discussing the law is not that captivating.

"But they really are playing the game that they want to get into the courts where things are much juicier. What will be picked out will be the most sensational.

"It will be the most salacious and sexual cases. It will be the stuff that is dramatic and enticing and brings in viewing figures."

Andrew Walker QC is a civil law barrister who deals with appeal cases and can expect to be among the lawyers who may find themselves on camera in the months ahead.

He told Sky News that it will have little impact.

"I suspect that most people will get used to it and it will become part of the background," he said.

Only those speaking will be filmed

"It's a fairly polite and rarefied atmosphere in the Appeal Court and that won't change. Judges aren't impressed by anything other than what the real issues are."

But he does not expect it to lead on to televised trials, with defendants and witness appearing on screen.

"There's been a long-running debate in America about the televising of trials and there are a lot of views both ways," he said.

"That says a lot, that even in America people are wary and see the difficulties, and here we're likely to be much more careful."

The Government says the new rules are designed to bring greater transparency to the judicial system.

Courts Minister Shailesh Vara told Sky News: "I think this is a landmark occasion for the justice system.

"I don't think we need to worry about this becoming a celebrity issue following the American route.

"For the past two years the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court, has been filmed on the internet and we haven't seen any change of behaviour of the judiciary or indeed the lawyers."

Despite the limitations, Mr Nicholls says he hopes the public will find the Appeal Court coverage "eye-opening".

"As an experienced court reporter you do get those dramatic moments in the court where someone's conviction is overturned after a lengthy legal fight, when the people learn of this decision that is going to change their lives," he said.

"Sometimes the arguments might be dry and quite weighty, but you do get those moments of drama as well. All human life is here."

Viscount Hewart, who was Lord Chief Justice for almost 20 years from 1922, originated the phrase about justice not merely being done, but being seen to be done.

Now appeal court judges can be truly be seen by everyone when they hand down their judgements.

:: Sky News will be broadcasting proceedings from inside the Court of Appeal from October 31 - watch coverage on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad.

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Supermarkets Announce New Petrol Price Cuts

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

The cost of fuel is being slashed at pumps across the UK in the latest phase of a supermarket petrol price war.

It was sparked by Asda, which is cutting prices to its lowest this year. Sainsbury's,Tesco and Morrisons have acted quickly to announce reductions.

Asda has launched a national cap on prices, saying drivers filling up at its forecourts will pay no more than 126.7p a litre for petrol or 133.7p for diesel.

Sainsbury's says it is cutting prices by up to 3p - their cheapest for two-and-a-half years.

The cuts have been welcomed by drivers

Tesco will reduce prices by up to 2p. Morrisons will do the same "at the majority of its sites".

Quentin Wilson, from the campaign group FairFuel UK, said: "Don't get excited, everybody, because this will not stay. We will see it go up again.

"But at least now we have a much faster reflection of wholesale prices at the pump. We don't have to wait two or three or four weeks for the fuel to come down in price when we know it goes up in a heartbeat, so I'm pleased, FairFuel is pleased."

The AA has welcomed the move, saying it reflects a fall in the wholesale price of fuel, but the continued uncertainty over Libyan oil production continues to leave the market unpredictable.

An AA spokesman said: "The average price of petrol in the UK has hovered around the 132p a litre mark since mid-October, making 126.7p a very good price."

At Asda in Leamington Spa, motorists greeted the news with delight.

Susan Cooper, who drives 50 miles a day, said: "This will save me a lot of money. It is about time we had some better news with gas and electricity going up."

There are words of caution from campaigners that lower prices may not last

Another customer, Martin Cavanagh, said: "It has to be good news. I know oil and everything is a complicated commodity and that's why we get the price jumping around. Let's hope it goes low and stays low."

Oil analyst Richard Mallison said it was significant that retailers were passing on the fall in wholesale oil prices to consumers on the forecourt.

He told Sky News: "The biggest reason for supermarkets being able to slash prices at the pump has been the change in the dollar-to-pound exchange rate.

"The dollar's weakened, that's brought down the cost of oil and wholesale fuel and that's now being passed on."

But he warned that low prices may not last for long.

He said: "We've seen the UK recovery stronger than expected, we've seen the troubles with the US shutdown and debt ceiling - both of those effects might fade in terms of the exchange rate, which would then mean petrol prices starting to go up again."

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Breast Cancer Test 'Ready In Two Years'

A new test that identifies seven distinct types of breast cancer offers new hope to women with the disease, say scientists.

The tumour sample test could be available within two years and is expected to lead to more personalised treatments.

Identifying more biomarkers will help doctors tailor therapy plans that better suit their patients, avoiding over or under treatment.

Currently just two proteins are routinely identified in breast cancer cells.

One is the oestrogen receptor (ER) that makes a tumour hormone-sensitive.

The other is HER2, which is responsive to the breast cancer drug Herceptin.

Scientists funded by the Breast Cancer Campaign looked for signature biomarkers in 1,073 tumour samples from the charity's tissue bank.

They found that 93% fitted perfectly into one of seven classes. Another 7% had mixed characteristics and were harder to categorise.

Further verification of the seven cancer types was then made using another 28 tumour samples.

The seven classes are defined by different combinations and levels of 10 proteins found in breast cancer cells.

These include ER and HER2, but also others not currently tested, such as p53, cytokeratins, HER3 and HER4.

Each cancer type has a different effect on patient survival, according to the scientists whose findings are reported in the British Journal of Cancer.

Current tests pick up HER2, which is responsive to Herceptin

Lead researcher Dr Andy Green, from the University of Nottingham, said: "With an increasing number of treatment options available for breast cancer patients, decision making regarding the choice of the most appropriate treatment method is becoming increasingly complex.

"Improvements in care and outcome for patients with breast cancer will involve improved targeting of effective therapies to appropriate patients.

"Equally important should be improvement in parallel strategies to avoid unnecessary or inappropriate treatment and side effects."

The technology needed to measure the proteins in tumour samples already exists in most pathology laboratories across the UK, he said.

Last year researchers categorised 10 different forms of breast cancer based on their underlying gene defects.

But they can only be identified using sophisticated genetic profiling, making this form of test for patients costly and impractical.

In contrast, the seven cancer test could be ready for use in the clinic in as little as two years, it is claimed.

The university-linked company Nottingham Prognostics Limited has integrated the biomarkers into its existing NPI test already used to assess information about tumour size, spread and grade.

Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive of the Breast Cancer Campaign, said: "The days of one-size-fits-all treatment are well and truly in the past.

"We need to ensure the life-saving and life-extending treatments we already have in the clinic are used more effectively - directing the right treatments to those who will benefit, and sparing others from unnecessary side effects, so that by 2050 we can achieve our ambition to overcome breast cancer.

"This new test could be a realistic step towards making the holy grail of personalised medicine a reality, offering hope to the 50,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year."

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Savile Chauffeur David Smith Found Dead

A former driver charged with sex offences as part of the investigation triggered by allegations of abuse against Jimmy Savile has been found dead.

David Smith, 66, was the first person to be charged by officers from the Metropolitan Police's Operation Yewtree investigation.

He had pleaded not guilty in July to two counts of indecent assault and two of gross indecency on a child following his arrest in December.

But he failed to turn up at Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday for the start of his trial, prompting police to go to his home in Effingham Road, Lewisham.

Smith had previously worked as Jimmy Savile's chauffeur

Scotland Yard said: "At approximately 14:20 officers entered the address and found the body of a man. A FME (forensic medical examiner) attended and pronounced the man dead at the scene. Next of kin are being informed."

Smith's barrister, Sandy Canavan, had told the court she was "concerned" that her solicitor had been unable to contact him ahead of the trial as she had regularly been in touch with him.

She told the court Smith was the sole carer for his elderly mother.

Police have separated the Yewtree investigation into three parts, the first concerned with the actions of Savile, while the second concerns allegations against what has become known as 'Savile and others'.

Smith was investigated under the third strand, concerning accusations of sexual abuse unconnected to Savile, but made by people who came forward following publicity surrounding the Savile allegations.

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Storm: Battle To Get Britain Working Again

Up to 61,000 homes are still without power overnight following the most powerful storm to hit Britain for a decade.

The authorities are continuing to clear away debris and fallen trees while engineers work to restore power and rail services slowly return to normal.

Dubbed St Jude after the patron saint of lost causes, the storm claimed four lives and caused transport disruption on road, rail, air and sea as it ripped across the country, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

National Rail said it was not yet able to say how services would be affected today, but urged travellers to check with their train operator, while ferry services from Dover are still delayed because of rough seas.

The storm, which is now over Scandinavia, will today be replaced with far lighter winds and rain, but dozens of areas in southern England still remain on flood alert, the Environment Agency said.

Insurers are counting the cost of the storm, but say it is too early to tell whether it will compare with the multi-billion pound hits caused by previous severe weather events.

Fallen trees caused major delays for Monday morning commuters

On Monday morning, winds of up to 100mph swept through the South West, South, South East, the Midlands and the East of England after first hitting land in the early hours.

Up to 2.4in of rain - half the monthly average - fell in a just few hours during the storm in areas including Hampshire and Devon, causing flash-floods.

Bethany Freeman, 17, died after a 30ft tree fell on the caravans she and her family were living in while renovation work was taking place at their home at Edenbridge in Kent shortly after 7am.

"Loving husband" and father-of-three Donal Drohan, 51, originally from Waterford in the Irish Republic, died after his car was hit by a tree at the bridge over the River Colne in Watford.

In Hounslow, west London, two people were killed by an explosion, thought to have been caused by an uprooted tree rupturing a gas main, which devastated three houses and damaged two others.

Met Office spokeswoman Laura Young warned that the impacts from the storm are still around and urged the public to remain alert.

John Lee, a forecaster for MeteoGroup, said it was the most powerful storm in years.

"There will no doubt be some disruption still following the damage caused by strong winds and heavy rain, but the weather will be quite different," he said.

"It will be blustery with some showers, especially in the west, but a lot lighter.

"On Friday there is an indication that stormy weather could return, but it's likely to bring heavy rain rather than strong winds."

:: Keep up to date with the latest travel information in your area:

TRAINS:

Greater Anglia
Stansted Express
East Coast
East Midlands Trains
C2C
First Hull Trains
Grand Central
London Midland
South West Trains
Southeastern
Southern Railway
First Capital Connect
Arriva Trains Wales
London Overground
London Underground

PLANES:

Heathrow Airport

FERRIES:

Brittany Ferries

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Storm: Newhaven Search For Boy Called Off

A 14-year-old boy is feared dead after being swept into the sea while playing in the surf in rough weather conditions.

The youngster disappeared from West Beach at Newhaven, East Sussex, at about 4.15pm on Sunday.

Rescue teams, including a coastguard helicopter and a RNLI lifeboat, scoured the area in what were described as "atrocious conditions" with poor visibility.

An RNLI lifeboat is buffeted by the waves as it takes part in the search

After around six hours the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said it had stood down its search teams.

The teenager was playing with friends - who have all been accounted for - when the accident occurred.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "This is a very distressing incident and everything possible is being done to try to find the boy."

A MCA spokeswoman said that rescue teams had struggled in difficult conditions.

She said police were with the boy's family, who are "distraught".

A rescue worker looks on as his colleagues battle the elements at sea

Meanwhile, the public were reminded of the dangers of being on the coast in bad weather. 

Solent Coastguard watch manager Steve Mann said: "The crashing waves are spectacular to watch but also extremely dangerous. HM Coastguard's advice is simple: don't take risks.

"But if you do get into difficulty, or spot someone who might be in trouble, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard."

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Hurricane-Force Storm Hits Southern Britain

Britain is facing a day of transport chaos after hurricane-force winds battered southern areas, shutting down bridges and rail services and grounding flights.

St Jude's storm hit the South West from around midnight - bringing winds in excess of 90mph and torrential rain.

The storm has ripped across Wales and England, felling trees, cutting power supplies to up to 40,000 people and damaging vehicles, with some of the worst weather expected during the morning rush hour.

Gusts of 99mph have been recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, according to the Met Office, while the Environment Agency has put in place 19 flood warnings and 147 flood alerts.

In Newhaven, East Sussex, the family of a 14-year-old boy who was swept into the sea were said to be "distraught" after coastguard rescuers were forced to call off their search.

The storm felled trees including in Crawley, West Sussex. Pic: Simon Fox

Prime Minister David Cameron has held talks with government departments and agencies to ensure they are prepared for the storm's impact, while transport minister Baroness Kramer urged commuters to stay at home until the worst of the weather has passed.

Most train operators cancelled all services in the south of England before 9am - with further disruption expected throughout the day.

Network Rail said: "Trains will not be allowed to run until the worst of the storm has passed and engineers have been able to check railway lines in daylight for fallen trees, branches or any other debris which may have blown onto or damaged the infrastructure."

Police cars attempt to get past a felled tree in East Sussex

Heathrow airport cut capacity for all airlines by 20% between 6am and 11am and cancelled 60 flights before the storm hit the mainland.

Sky's Home Affairs Correspondent Mark White said airline workers have been briefed that winds of up to 80 knots (90+ mph) could last until midday at Heathrow.

Engineers have warned that they will be unable to open aircraft cargo hatches or operate walkways used to offload passengers in winds of more than 40-45 knots.

Airlines are believed to be making plans to divert planes to airports in the north of the UK if necessary.

Both crossings over the Severn Estuary, the QEII Dartford Crossing bridge and the Sheppey Crossing in Kent were all closed to traffic while the Highways Agency issued warnings for high-sided vehicles, caravans and motorbikes.

Baroness Kramer said: "Don't travel unless you have to. If you do have to travel then check with your rail operator or the Highways Agency that it is safe to do so.

"Use common sense. I wouldn't want to be on the roads in the dark later tonight."

Western Power said they had 5,000 customers without power and are bringing in extra staff to help deal with 60 incidents

The Environment Agency said 20-40mm (0.8-1.6inches) of rain could fall within six to nine hours.

It has teams working to minimise river flood risk, clearing debris from streams and unblocking culverts.

A spokesman added: "Seafronts, quaysides and jetties should be avoided due to the risk of overtopping by waves and wind-blown shingle."

A photographer captured wild seas off the Brighton coast. Pic: Kevin Long

Met Office severe weather alerts are in place, with an amber warning, meaning "be prepared", for the southern half of England and Wales.

A yellow warning, meaning "be aware", has been issued for the rest of Wales and England.

In London, the Metropolitan Police has urged people to avoid calling 999 during the storm unless there is a real emergency.

The storm has been compared to the Great Storm of 1987, which claimed 22 lives in England and France in a three hour period.

Veteran weatherman Michael Fish, who famously failed to predict its severity, warned people to "batten down the hatches" and delay their Monday morning journey by two or three hours.

:: For the latest on the storm watch a special edition of Sky News Sunrise from 6am.

:: Send us your photos and videos of the storm.

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Merkel's Phone 'Bugged For Decade By US'

The United States may have bugged Angela Merkel's phone for more than 10 years, it has been claimed.

Der Spiegel magazine said the German chancellor's mobile telephone had been listed by the NSA's Special Collection Service (SCS) since 2002 and was still on the list weeks before Barack Obama visited Berlin in June.

Germany's outrage over reports of bugging of Ms Merkel's phone by the NSA prompted it to summon the US ambassador for the first time in living memory.

In an SCS document cited by Der Spiegel, the agency said it had a "not legally registered spying branch" in the US embassy in Berlin, the exposure of which would lead to "grave damage for the relations of the United States to another government".

Mr Obama met with Ms Merkel in Berlin earlier this year

From there, NSA and CIA staff were tapping communication in the Berlin's government district with high-tech surveillance.

Quoting a secret document from 2010, Der Spiegel said such branches existed in about 80 locations around the world, including Paris, Madrid, Rome, Prague, Geneva and Frankfurt.

The magazine said it was not clear whether the SCS had recorded conversations or just connection data.

Mr Obama apologised to Merkel when she called him on Wednesday to seek clarification on the issue, Der Spiegel wrote, citing a source in Ms Merkel's office.

Ms Merkel's spokesman and the White House declined comment.

The rift over US surveillance activities first emerged earlier this year after reports that Washington had bugged European Union offices and had tapped half a billion phone calls, emails and text messages in Germany in a typical month.

But it appeared close to resolution after Ms Merkel's government said in August - just weeks before a parliamentary election - the United States had given sufficient assurances they were upholding German law.

Mr Obama ordered a review of US surveillance programmes after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked documents that raised alarm in the United States and abroad.

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Britain Braced For Severe 80mph Storm

England and Wales will be hit by a "significant storm" on Sunday night with winds of up to 80mph in some areas, the Met Office has warned.

Forecasters say the storm is expected to bring "exceptionally strong winds" to parts of the UK when it strikes late on Sunday night.

Meteorologists say it will strike the south west of England and could leave a trail of destruction as it gusts north-east across the country, causing structural damage, and bringing down trees and power lines.

Frank Saunders, Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, said: "We are confident that a severe storm will affect Britain on Sunday night and Monday.

"We are now looking at refining the details about which areas will see the strongest winds and the heaviest rain."

Roads may also be hit by flash flooding, bringing rush hour traffic on Monday morning to a halt, and homes could be flooded.

The Environment Agency says 20-40mm of rain could fall within six to nine hours.

An amber warning is in place across the southern half of England and Wales

Severe weather alerts are in place for England and Wales, with an amber warning, meaning "be prepared", for the southern half of England and Wales.

There is a lesser yellow warning, meaning "be aware", for the rest of Wales and England up to the border with Scotland.

Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "The storm is coming through at the worst possible time; from around midnight to midday on Monday - which takes in the rush hour when people are trying to get to work.

"Winds gusting at 80mph are quite capable of bringing down trees and power lines and causing structural damage.

"Trees are still full in leaf at this time of year and the ground is quite damp so there is more chance they can be ripped from the ground, and branches ripped from trees."

She said Atlantic storms of this type usually develop further west across the ocean, losing strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.

But the storm will develop on Saturday and intensify on Sunday fairly close to the coast before it strikes with full force.

It has been compared to the Great Storm of 1987

A strong jet stream and warm air close to the UK are contributing to its development and strength.

Some have compared its potential to the Great Storm of 1987 and record-breaking gales in south Wales in 1989.

Veteran weatherman Michael Fish famously failed to predict its severity before it flattened trees, knocked out power and left 22 people dead in England and France.

This time he warned people to "batten down the hatches" and keep checking the forecasts as the powerful storm approaches.

Darron Burness, head of the AA's flood rescue team, said: "The timing couldn't really be worse, potentially causing significant travel disruption on Monday morning, which is one of the busiest times on the roads."

The Metropolitan Police has urged people to avoid calling 999 during the storm unless there is a real emergency.

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