Travellers returning home for Christmas were among those affected as Storm Pia lashed parts of the UK in the countdown to the festive season.

Winds of more than 80mph battered northern parts of the UK with gusts of 81mph recorded at Brizlee Wood, near Alnwick, Northumberland, and at Baltasound on Shetland, with gusts of more than 70mph found elsewhere in the North East of England.

National Rail reported that routes across Scotland, and parts of England and Wales were affected, and speed restrictions were in place on lines within the weather warning area.

Winter weather Dec 21st 2023
Workmen remove a fallen tree which has damaged the roof of a house in the village of Stanley in Derbyshire (Jacob King/PA)
Winter weather Dec 21st 2023
Workmen in a cherry picker remove a fallen tree in Stanley (Jacob King/PA)
Winter weather Dec 21st 2023
Damage to the roof of a block of flats in Lowedges, Sheffield (Dave Higgens/PA)
Winter weather
A Texaco petrol station bore the brunt of Storm Pia (Jacob King/PA)

A tree fell on a petrol station in Derby while another was toppled in the village of Stanley.

Airline pilots had to deal with tricky conditions while passengers were advised to check for cancellations.

There were power cuts in Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire while in Shetland schools were shut.

Winter weather Dec 21st 2023
The storm brought down a tree over a petrol station in Derby (Jacob King/PA)
WEATHER Wind
(PA Graphics)
Winter weather Dec 21st 2023
An aircraft taking off from Leeds Bradford Airport during Storm Pia (Danny Lawson/PA)
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A person walking their dog at Hook Moor Wind Farm, near Leeds (Danny Lawson/PA)

Storm Pia was named by meteorologists in Denmark although it has not been given that status in the UK.

Winter weather Dec 21st 2023
A sign blown over by strong winds at a petrol station in Leeds (Danny Lawson/PA)
Christmas travel 2023
A passenger information sign in Liverpool Street Station, London (James Manning/PA)
Christmas travel 2023
Passengers in Liverpool Street Station, London, as travellers get an early start to their Christmas journeys (James Manning/PA)