Storm Caroline: Hundreds of properties without power as snow and gales hit UK

Around 500 properties were without power overnight as Storm Caroline hit the country, with up to 20cm (8in) of snow now expected to fall across parts of the UK.

Forecasters have issued a yellow severe weather warning for snow and ice on Friday covering much of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and parts of northern and western England.

More than 4,000 people were without power for parts of Thursday, with 500 properties across parts of Caithness, Orkney and Shetland left with no electricity overnight due to worker safety reasons.

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) director of customer operations Dale Cargill said: "We would also like to apologise to any customers who remain off supply and would like to reassure them that we are well prepared and resourced to carry our repairs to our network and will resume efforts first thing tomorrow morning.

"With heavy snow and risk of lightning forecast for many parts tomorrow as well as the continued gale force winds we remain on yellow alert."

Thursday saw train services suspended between Aberdeen and Inverness, Inverness and Wick, Inverness and Kyle of Lochalsh as well as some Glasgow Queen Street routes to the west coast.

Rail passengers faced disruption after a trampoline blew onto the line in East Renfrewshire, with 90mph gusts hitting parts of the country.

Train services between Glasgow Central and Neilston were cancelled or delayed while staff removed the obstacle.

A reduction in wind speeds in some areas of the country saw services between Glasgow Queen Street and Fort William, Oban and Mallaig resumed.

Mark Ilderton, head of integrated control at the ScotRail Alliance, said: "There will continue to be disruption as we work to get things back to normal.

"Wind speeds remain too high in the very north of Scotland, which is why services to Wick, Thurso and Kyle of Lochalsh remain suspended. It is not safe for services to resume in that part of the country.

"The safety of our staff and customers remains our top priority, and it's on that basis that we take decisions about services during extreme weather."

Some flights in the Western Isles were also cancelled on Thursday.

Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services between Tarbert and Lochranza, Oban and Tiree via Coll and Ullapool and Stornoway were also cancelled while many other routes faced disruption.

The Forth Road Bridge and Tay Road Bridge are closed to double-decker buses while the Skye and Kessock bridges are closed to high-sided vehicles.

During Friday, increasingly frequent snow showers already affecting parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England will extend across many other northern and western parts of the UK.

The Met Office said snow is likely to be up to 5cm (2in) deep in places over the warning area, while 10 (4in) to 20cm (8in) is possible for some locations, mainly in northern Scotland, Northern Ireland, north Wales and perhaps the northwest Midlands.

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