Millions of Britons were urged to stay at home today amid travel chaos after the Met Office issued a rare 'red warning' for 100mph winds over southern England including London as Storm Eunice swept into Britain.
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The warnings run from 7am until 12pm in the South West and 10am until 3pm in the South East with forecasters concerned over 'flying debris resulting in danger to life' as well as 'roofs blown off and power lines brought down'.
Hundreds of schools were closed, all trains in Wales were suspended and rail passengers across England were told not to travel amid mass cancellations as the Army was on standby for what could be the worst storm in 32 years.
British Airways cancelled more than 80 flights at London Heathrow and City airports, motorists were warned only to make essential journeys and major attractions closed including the London Eye, Kew Gardens and Legoland.
As universities, National Trust sites, parks and other tourist venues including Kensington Palace also shut today, Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: 'Please stay at home, do not take risks, and do not travel unless absolutely essential.'
The Met Office issued the first red warning for the South West at 11am yesterday, 20 hours in advance, before issuing the second for the South East at 4am today - just six hours before the 'extremely strong winds' begin.
The South West warning covers coastline of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset as well as South Wales due to the combination of high tides, strong winds and storm surge - while the second is over most of South East England.
Top wind speeds could hit 100mph with the strongest gusts expected in exposed coastal areas, while a lesser amber warning for gusts up to 80mph covers the whole of England until 9pm tonight having started at 5am.
The Met Office added that the phenomenon known as a sting jet - a small area of highly intense wind inside a storm - could form later today. It would be the first instance of such an event since the Great Storm of 1987. ■