Jamaica deportation: Home Office flight leaves UK despite court ruling - BBC News

A Home Office flight deporting convicted offenders to Jamaica has left the UK, despite a last-minute legal challenge.

About 50 people were due to be on the plane, but Chancellor Sajid Javid said in the end there were "around 20".

The court order on Monday stopped the government deporting some of those due to leave, amid concerns they may not have had access to legal advice.

Mr Javid said no one protected by the court ruling was on the flight.

All of those being deported are Jamaican nationals who have been convicted of criminal offences and served prison sentences of 12 months or more.

"It is absolutely right that when they have served their sentence that we send them out of the country," Mr Javid told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"They are not British nationals, they are not members of the Windrush generation, they are all foreign national offenders."

The flight had been due to leave for Kingston at 6:30 GMT on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the Home Office said: "We make no apology for trying to protect the public from serious, violent and persistent foreign national offenders.

"The court ruling does not apply to all of the foreign national offenders due to be deported and we have therefore proceeded with the flight."

Court ruling

On Monday, the Court of Appeal ruled the government should not deport detainees from Colnbrooke and Harmondsworth detention centres, near Heathrow, after lawyers argued mobile phone signal problems meant some of the detainees could not get legal advice.

The ruling said the government must not deport anyone from those centres unless they had access to a functioning, non-O2 Sim card on or before 3 February.

• Campaigners 'delighted' by Jamaica flight court ruling

The original number due to be deported on the flight was about 50, but it is unclear how many people are onboard following the ruling.

Mr Javid told Sky News: "I don't know the exact number but I think it is around 20 - or above 20."

There had been calls for the government to suspend the flight until a report on the Windrush scandal has been published.

A leaked draft of the report said the government should consider ending the deportation of foreign-born offenders who came to the UK as children.

Campaigners argued that most of the detainees due to be deported had spent the majority of their lives in Britain.

Bella Sankey, director of charity Detention Action, told the BBC News Channel: "In these cases where people have been here for a long time and are to all intents and purposes British, by deporting individuals like that you are doubly punishing them.

"For many of these individuals deportation is a much harsher sentence than the time they've already served. Imagine being forever banished from the country you grew up in, unable to visit all of your close family and friends."

Tottenham MP David Lammy said it was an "outrage" that the flight had departed.

"The government wants to give the impression that everyone who was deported was a hardened violent criminal, but the reality is many of those who were scheduled to be deported had committed non-violent, one-time drugs offences.

"The lessons from Windrush have not been learned. Lives are being ruined because we don't remember our history."

Labour's shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said removing the detainees was "unfair", adding: "Many of the proposed deportees came here as children and have no memory of Jamaica."

But on Monday, Home Secretary Priti Patel said many of those on board were guilty of "serious offences", including rape and dealing class A drugs.

Every person on the flight had "received a custodial sentence of 12 months or more", she said.

Therefore under legislation introduced by the Labour government in 2007, Ms Patel said, "a deportation order must be made".

'I have no-one in Jamaica'

One of those who had been due to be deported on Tuesday is father-of-five Howard Ormsby.

He was jailed for 18 months after he was convicted of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and he was released in December.

"I came here at the age of 15 with my older sister and I've been here 18 years of my life," the 32-year-old said, speaking to the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show from a detention centre at Harmondsworth, west London.

"I've never tried to deny the fact I've made a mistake, but everyone has a chance to right their wrongs.

"I have all my family here - I have no-one in Jamaica."

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2020-02-11 08:55:49Z
52780598379734

Coronavirus: UK cases double as four more people diagnosed - BBC News

The number of people infected by the coronavirus in the UK has doubled to eight - after four more patients tested positive for the virus.

It comes as the government issued new powers in England to keep people in quarantine to stop the virus spreading.

In order to do this the Department of Health has described the coronavirus as a "serious and imminent threat" to public health.

The overall risk level to the UK remains "moderate".

There have been more than 40,000 cases of the virus globally, mostly in China. The total number of deaths in China is now 908.

The new cases are all linked to a British man who caught the virus at a conference in Singapore and travelled to a ski resort in France. He was diagnosed in Brighton, and is being treated at St Thomas' Hospital in London.

He is also linked to the fourth UK patient, who was exposed to the virus in France, while five British nationals tested positive in France following his trip to the ski resort.

Chief medical officer for England Prof Chris Whitty said the new cases have been transferred to specialist NHS centres at Guys' and St Thomas' and the Royal Free hospitals in London.

A University of York student and their relative, still being treated at the Royal Victoria Infirmary infectious diseases centre in Newcastle, have not been connected to the cluster of UK cases.

Is the Brighton man a 'super-spreader'?

This looks a lot like a "super-spreading" event. It is likely another British national diagnosed in Majorca is also connected to the Brighton man.

This is not unusual in outbreaks.

We know that people pass this novel coronavirus on to an average of two-to-three people, but some will pass it on to nobody and others will pass it on to far more.

In Mers-coronavirus, a super-spreading event led to 82 people being infected.

History has demonised the super-spreader. Irish cook Mary Mallon (1869-1938) is remembered as "Typhoid Mary" after unknowingly passing on the disease when she had no symptoms. She spent decades in exile and forced quarantine.

But in reality it's not the patient's fault.

Having no symptoms, making unusually large amounts of virus or mixing with lots of people can all lead to super-spreading.

Where had the Brighton coronavirus patient been?

The British man visited Singapore on business from 20 to 23 January, before staying at a chalet in the Alpine resort area of Les Contamines-Montjoie near Mont Blanc.

He flew back to the UK from Geneva on 28 January, easyJet confirmed.

Four adults and a nine-year-old child were subsequently diagnosed with the virus after coming into contact with him. They are not in a serious condition.

EasyJet said in a statement on Monday that health officials are trying to trace other passengers on flight EZS8481 to London Gatwick who might be at risk.

On his return to the UK, the Brighton man visited The Grenadier pub in Hove.

What are the latest regulations in the UK?

On Monday, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced new regulations in England as "the transmission of coronavirus would constitute a serious threat".

Under the Department of Health measures people will not be free to leave quarantine, and can be forcibly sent into isolation if they pose a threat.

Arrowe Park Hospital, on the Wirral, and Kents Hill Park conference centre, in Milton Keynes, have been designated as "isolation" facilities in the UK.

Evacuees from Wuhan who travelled to the UK on two flights chartered by the Foreign Office are currently in quarantine at the locations.

The BBC's political correspondent Iain Watson said the measures were announced because a passenger on the first UK flight from Wuhan, who is currently being held in quarantine on the Wirral, "is threatening to abscond" despite signing a contract agreeing to the isolation period.

He said the regulations were brought in "to try and compel him to stay put".

A statement on the Department of Health website said "incidence or transmission of novel coronavirus constitutes a serious and imminent threat to public health".

On Twitter, the department added that the announcement on the coronavirus threat was "a legal term... as part of changes to make it easier for health professionals to do their job".

A government spokesman said: "We are strengthening our regulations so we can keep individuals in supported isolation for their own safety and if public health professionals consider they may be at risk of spreading the virus to other members of the public."

Why have they issued this advice?

Tackling the coronavirus threat has taken the government into uncharted territory. Quarantining hundreds of British citizens for two weeks has never been done on this scale in modern times.

Whitehall sources say the latest Department of Health announcement on the virus threat covers the tightening of some regulations to help enforce quarantine powers.

This gives legal underpinning to the quarantining of people back from Wuhan in Milton Keynes and the Wirral.

They all signed contracts committing to the 14-day isolation but it's understood that more rigorous regulations are needed to ensure people stay the course.

This is not a ramping up in official warnings to the wider public. The language used in the official release describing an "imminent threat" was over dramatic and confusing and probably there only for obscure legal reasons.

The actual threat level announced by Public Health England a couple of weeks ago remains moderate.

What's happening globally?

The majority of cases are in China, where 40,171 people are infected.

The new virus was first reported in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province. The city of 11 million has been in lockdown for weeks.

The outbreak was declared a global emergency by the WHO on 30 January.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

It is estimated that 1% of people infected with the new coronavirus may die, according to a report by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Modelling.

Prof Neil Ferguson, of Imperial College London, said the estimate suggests the impact of the epidemic "may be comparable to the major influenza pandemics of the 20th Century".

Meanwhile, there are now 130 confirmed cases of coronavirus on the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship in the port of Yokohama.

What should I do if I suspect I have coronavirus?

The coronavirus causes severe acute respiratory infection and symptoms usually start with a fever, followed by a dry cough.

Most people infected are likely to fully recover - just as they would from a flu.

Anyone who has travelled to the UK from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau in the last 14 days and is experiencing cough or fever or shortness of breath, is advised to stay indoors and call NHS 111, even if symptoms are mild.

People who suspect they have the virus are asked to take steps to avoid close contact with other people as much as possible, as they would do with other flu viruses.

In Scotland, you can phone your GP or NHS 24 on 111 out of hours. If you are in Northern Ireland, call 0300 200 7885.

---

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2020-02-10 12:45:00Z
52780601260593

Coronavirus: Four more people diagnosed in UK - BBC News

The number of people infected by the coronavirus in the UK has doubled to eight - after four more patients in England tested positive for the virus.

It comes as the government announced new powers to keep people in quarantine to stop the spread of the virus.

In order to do this the Department of Health has described the coronavirus as a "serious and imminent threat" to public health.

The overall risk level to the UK remains "moderate".

There have been more than 40,000 cases of the virus globally, mostly in China. The total number of deaths in China is now 908 - but the number of newly-infected people per day has stabilised.

Confirming the four new cases on Monday, chief medical officer for England Prof Chris Whitty said they were all "known contacts of a previously confirmed UK case, and the virus was passed on in France".

He added that they have been transferred to specialist NHS centres at Guy's and St Thomas' and the Royal Free hospitals in London.

The BBC's political correspondent Iain Watson said the new measures were announced because a passenger on the first UK flight from Wuhan, who is currently being held in quarantine on the Wirral, "is threatening to abscond".

"Currently the regulations are not strong enough to stop him leaving before the 14-day period is up so they brought in these new regulations to try and compel him to stay put," he said.

The Department of Health insisted on Twitter that the latest announcement on the coronavirus threat to the public was "a legal term which we announced this morning as part of changes to make it easier for health professionals to do their job".

A government spokesman said: "We are strengthening our regulations so we can keep individuals in supported isolation for their own safety and if public health professionals consider they may be at risk of spreading the virus to other members of the public."

Why have they issued this advice?

Tackling the coronavirus threat has taken the government into uncharted territory. Quarantining hundreds of British citizens for two weeks has never been done on this scale in modern times.

Whitehall sources say the latest Department of Health announcement on the virus threat covers the tightening of some regulations to help enforce quarantine powers.

This gives legal underpinning to the quarantining of people back from Wuhan in Milton Keynes and the Wirral.

They all signed contracts committing to the 14-day isolation but it's understood that more rigorous regulations are needed to ensure people stay the course.

This is not a ramping up in official warnings to the wider public. The language used in the official release describing an "imminent threat" was over dramatic and confusing and probably there only for obscure legal reasons.

The actual threat level announced by Public Health England a couple of weeks ago remains moderate.

In a statement on Monday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Arrowe Park Hospital, on the Wirral, and Kents Hill Park conference centre, in Milton Keynes, have been designated as "isolation" facilities in the UK.

Evacuees from Wuhan, where the virus outbreak first emerged, who travelled to the UK on two flights chartered by the Foreign Office are currently in quarantine at the two locations.

On Sunday, around 200 British and foreign nationals arrived on the second and final flight at RAF Brize Norton.

A statement on the Department of Health website said: "The Secretary of State declares that the incidence or transmission of novel coronavirus constitutes a serious and imminent threat to public health, and the measures outlined in these regulations are considered as an effective means of delaying or preventing further transmission of the virus."

It is estimated that 1% of people infected with the new coronavirus may die, according to a report by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Modelling.

Prof Neil Ferguson, of Imperial College London, said: "Our estimates - while subject to much uncertainty due to the limited data currently available - suggest that the impact of the unfolding epidemic may be comparable to the major influenza pandemics of the 20th century."

Media playback is unsupported on your device

The latest UK cases come after a British man who caught the virus in Singapore was transferred to St Thomas' Hospital in London on Thursday, from Brighton. He was announced as the third person to test positive in the UK.

Five British nationals who have tested positive in France were diagnosed after they came into contact with him, according to the French health ministry.

Meanwhile, a British man in Majorca has also been diagnosed with coronavirus, while his wife and two daughters tested negative.

The family said they had been in contact with a person who tested positive for coronavirus in France, the government in the Balearic Islands said.

The new virus was first reported in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province. The city of 11 million has been in lockdown for weeks.

The outbreak was declared a global emergency by the WHO on 30 January.

---

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2020-02-10 10:02:40Z
52780601500749

Storm Ciara helps plane beat transatlantic flight record - BBC News

Experts are hailing a British Airways flight as the fastest subsonic New York to London journey.

The Boeing 747-436 reached speeds of 825 mph (1,327 km/h) as it rode a jet stream accelerated by Storm Ciara.

The four hours and 56 minutes flight arrived at Heathrow Airport 80 minutes ahead of schedule on Sunday morning.

According to Flightradar24, an online flight tracking service, it beat a previous five hours 13 minutes record held by Norwegian.

The BBC has been unable to independently verify the record as no complete database of flight times was available.

Aviation consultant and former BA pilot Alastair Rosenschein said the aeroplane reached a "phenomenal speed".

'Prioritise safety'

"The pilot will have sat their aircraft in the core of the jet stream and at this time of year it's quite strong.

"Turbulence in those jet streams can be quite severe, but you can also find it can be a very smooth journey."

The jet stream reached speeds of 260 mph (418 km/h) on Sunday morning, according to BBC Weather.

Despite travelling faster than the speed of sound the plane would not have broken the sonic barrier as it was helped along by fast-moving air.

Relative to the air, the plane was travelling slower than 801mph.

Modern passenger planes usually travel at about 85% the speed of sound, according to Mr Rosenschein.

British Airways said: "We always prioritise safety over speed records.

"Our highly-trained pilots made the most of the conditions to get customers back to London well ahead of time."

The fastest transatlantic crossing belongs to BA Concorde, which flew from New York to London in two hours 52 minutes and 59 seconds in 1996 - hitting a top speed of 1,350 mph.

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2020-02-09 23:18:08Z
52780601236724

Storm Ciara: Floods and travel disruption as UK hit by severe gales - BBC News

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Heavy rain and gusts of wind reaching more than 90mph brought widespread flooding and travel disruption as Storm Ciara hit the UK.

Trees were toppled, buildings were damaged and some homes had to be evacuated as rivers burst their banks.

Thousands of people were left without electricity and sporting events were cancelled due to the weather.

Airlines also cancelled hundreds of flights, while several rail firms urged passengers not to travel.

Ferry passengers also faced delays and cancellations, and drivers were warned to take extra care.

Large parts of the UK were covered by an amber warning for very strong winds, with the Met Office advising that large waves in coastal areas and flying debris could cause injuries.

Sporting events called off because of the adverse weather included Manchester City's Premier League match against West Ham.

Energy companies said that 675,000 homes lost power during the storm. As of 21:00 GMT, they said they were working to reconnect 62,000 customers.

One journey was made easier by Storm Ciara, however: a British Airways flight made the fastest subsonic New York to London flight as it rode a jet stream accelerated by the storm.

How bad is the storm?

The amber warning for wind across much of England and Wales was in place until 21:00 GMT, meaning that damage to buildings, travel disruption and power cuts were expected.

Wales was hit by some of the the strongest winds, with a 93mph gust recorded in Aberdaron, north-west Wales, and 86mph at Capel Curig in Snowdonia.

Meterologists said the high wind speeds inland were an unusual feature of the storm, with Manchester Airport also recording gusts of 86mph.

In Cumbria, Honister Pass received 177mm (7in) of rain in 24 hours - more than one-and-a-half times the average rainfall for the whole of February, which is 112mm.

Scotland saw gusts of wind of up to 77mph in Tiree in the Inner Hebrides, while heavy rain caused the River Nith to burst its banks.

More than 250 flood warnings were issued around the UK - meaning that flooding was expected - with more than 200 in England, more than 60 in Scotland, and 17 in Wales.

The Environment Agency issued one severe warning for the River Nidd at Pateley Bridge in West Yorkshire, where it was feared the waters might rise to 5.1m, overtopping flood defences and posing a "danger to life". The warning was later withdrawn.

How has travel been disrupted?

Heathrow Airport said it had taken a joint decision with the airlines to operate a reduced timetable to minimise the number of flights cancelled at short notice.

British Airways cancelled flights from Heathrow, Gatwick and London City, while Virgin Atlantic posted a number of cancelled flights on its website.

Network Rail imposed a blanket speed restriction of 50mph across the network on Sunday, warning passengers to only travel by train that day "if absolutely necessary".

The rail firms which issued "do not travel" warnings for Sunday were CrossCountry, Gatwick Express, Grand Central, Great Northern, Hull Trains, LNER, Northern, Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink, TransPennine Express and the Caledonian Sleeper, which is cancelled on Sunday night.

Flooding and debris on the tracks caused delays and cancellations to many services.

Some of the routes affected by the weather include:

• Edinburgh Waverley Station - closed to new passengers on cross-border services because of overcrowding
• Avanti West Coast - no services except on routes between London and Manchester or Birmingham
• Grand Central - all services cancelled on Sunday
• Cross Country - a "severely reduced" service was operating
• West Midlands Railway - several routes were closed and customers advised not to travel

London Euston temporarily closed due to overcrowding, but reopened within half an hour.

On the roads, the Humber Bridge in East Yorkshire was closed for only the second time in its history. It reopened to cars, but it is expected to remain closed to vans and lorries until Tuesday.

The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge at the Dartford Crossing in Kent was closed to traffic.

Ferry services were also affected, with all services suspended at the Port of Dover because of strong winds. The port reopened on Sunday evening.

DFDS also cancelled all its ferries between Newhaven and Dieppe.

What else has the storm affected?

Dozens of homes in Bury, Lancashire, were evacuated and people taken to a nearby leisure centre after the River Irewell burst its banks. Residents told the BBC the flooding was worse than the Boxing Day floods in 2015.

A surfer in Hastings who lost his board in powerful waves was rescued by police, coastguard teams, a helicopter and a lifeboat. He had been missing at sea for about an hour.

Elsewhere, firefighters in Blackpool had to rescue a motorist whose car got stuck in floodwater. Blackpool Council tweeted that some properties were being evacuated.

Strong winds buckled a construction crane in Stanmore, north London, and tore the sails off a historic windmill in Burgh Le Marsh, Lincolnshire.

The Queen did not attend church in Sandringham, Norfolk, because of "public safety reasons" due to the weather.

Other effects of the storm included:

• Scotland's Women's Six Nations match against England was postponed
• Four Women's Super League matches were called off, including Liverpool against Everton, where more than 20,000 fans were expected
• Horse racing at Exeter and Southwell was cancelled
• The London Winter Run 10k - due to be attended by 25,000 runners - was cancelled
• London's eight Royal Parks, which include Hyde Park and Regent's Park, were closed on Sunday

What's the forecast?

Strong gusts of wind are expected to continue to hit Northern Ireland and most of Scotland after the storm has passed on Monday.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: "While Storm Ciara is clearing away, that doesn't mean we're entering a quieter period of weather. It's going to stay very unsettled."

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for Monday for wind and snow in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and snow and ice across north-west England.

A yellow warning for wind in the south-west of England and southern coastal areas is also in place between 10am and 5pm.

The yellow warnings for snow and ice remain in place for much of Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of the north of England on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Have you been affected by Storm Ciara? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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2020-02-09 21:28:26Z
52780594341523

Hurricane-force winds pound UK and Europe, upend travel as Storm Ciara strikes - Fox News

LONDON – Storm Ciara battered the U.K. and northern Europe with hurricane-force winds and heavy rains Sunday, halting flights and trains and producing heaving seas that closed down ports. Soccer games, farmers' markets and cultural events were canceled as authorities urged millions of people to stay indoors, away from falling tree branches.

Named by the U.K. Met Office weather agency, the storm brought massive gusts that hit 150 mph at the northern Welsh village of Aberdaron and 86 mph at the Welsh town of Capel Curig. A British Airways plane is thought to have made the fastest ever flight by a conventional airliner from New York to London.

The fierce winds propelled a Boeing 747-436 to make the 3,500-mile transatlantic journey from New York to London in just 4 hours and 56 minutes, landing 102 minutes early and reaching a top speed of 825 mph, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24. Two Virgin Airlines flights also roared across the Atlantic, with all three smashing the previous subsonic New York-to-London record of 5 hours and 13 minutes, Flightradar24 reported.

HEAVY RAIN IN AUSTRALIA EXTINGUISHES MAJOR WILDFIRE, CAUSES FLASH FLOODING

Storm surges ate away at beaches and pounded rock cliffs and cement docks. The Met Office issued 190 emergency flood warnings and urged people not to try to drive through flooded roads. Residents in the town of Appleby-in-Westmorland in northwest England battled to protect their homes amid severe flooding as the River Eden burst its banks.

A view of a flooded street in Appleby-in-Westmorland, as Storm Ciara hits the UK, in Cumbria, England, Sunday Feb. 9, 2020. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

Three people were injured after a pub roof partially collapsed Saturday evening in the city of Perth in central Scotland.

At least 10 rail companies in Britain sent out “do not travel” warnings, while nearly 20 others told passengers to expect extensive delays. The strong winds damaged electrical wires and littered train tracks with broken tree limbs and other debris, including a family trampoline.

Trains, flights and ferries have been cancelled and weather warnings issued across the United Kingdom and in northern Europe as the storm with winds expected to reach hurricane levels batters the region. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

London's Heathrow Airport and several airlines consolidated flights Sunday to reduce the number canceled by heavy winds. British Airways offered to rebook customers for domestic and European flights out of Heathrow, Gatwick and London City airports. Virgin Airlines canceled some flights.

WHAT WAS THE WORST HURRICANE TO HIT THE US? HERE ARE THE COSTLIEST STORMS

Lufthansa airlines said there would be numerous cancellations and delays beginning Sunday afternoon and running until at least Tuesday morning. The airline plans to keep operating long-haul flights at its main Frankfurt hub. Eurowings, a budget subsidiary of Lufthansa, canceled most flights for the duration of the storm.

Brussels Airport also saw delays or cancellations.

Waves batter the coastline at Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, Scotland, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Two huge ports on either side of the English Channel, Dover in England and Calais in France, shut down operations amid high waves. Ferries were canceled across the region, including in the turbulent Irish Sea and North Sea.

The Humber Bridge in northern England also shut down, a move its website said was only the second time the massive bridge had been entirely closed.

A view of a flooded street, in Appleby-in-Westmorland, as Storm Ciara hits the UK, in Cumbria, England, Sunday Feb. 9, 2020. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

Breaking with her usual Sunday routine, Queen Elizabeth II did not attend church in Sandringham due to high winds.

A cow was spotted on a main highway in southern England after high winds blew down fences.

Adding to the weather woes, heavy snow was predicted for Monday in some parts of the U.K.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE WEATHER COVERAGE FROM FOX NEWS

In Ireland, power was knocked to an estimated 10,000 homes, farms and businesses. National weather agency Met Eireann warned that a combination of high tides, high seas and stormy conditions had created a significant risk of coastal flooding, particularly in the west and northwest.

Waves lash the coast on the Ayrshire coast at Ardrossan, Scotland, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Fierce winds knocked out electricity in northern France as well. Paris authorities sent out a warning to residents and tourists alike to stay indoors for their own safety. Parks and cemeteries in the city of Lille and nearby towns shut down as strong winds cracked heavy branches. Open-air markets closed early.

Luxembourg and the German city of Cologne announced that all school children could stay home Monday to avoid travelling under dangerous conditions.

In Germany, where the storm is known as “Sabine,” national railway operator Deutsche Bahn canceled long-distance trains to destinations most at risk, including Emden and Norddeich in Germany's northwestern corner, the northern city of Kiel and the North Sea island of Sylt.

"We have learned from previous storms that it's better not to have trains travel into critical regions in the first place,” Deutsche Bahn spokesman Achim Stauss said. “What we want to avoid is trains getting stuck between stations.”

Teams of railway employees fanned out with chainsaws to remove any fallen trees blocking the tracks.

A man stands on flooded street, in Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, England, Sunday Feb. 9, 2020. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

In Denmark, meteorologists warned about possible hurricane-force winds coming late Sunday, and flights were canceled out of Copenhagen. Danish authorities warned motorists not to cross large bridges, including the Great Belt Bridge that links eastern and western parts of Denmark.

The storm was also expected to smash into southern Norway's coast and hit southern and western parts of Sweden.

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In the world of sports, dozens of soccer games, horse races, rugby matches and other events were called off, including the Premier League match between Manchester City and West Ham. A 10-K run in London that was expected to draw 25,000 participants was also canceled.

The Dutch football association called off all matches Sunday in the top-flight league due to safety concerns, as did Belgium’s top two soccer leagues, the Jupiler Pro League and Proximus League. A German soccer league match between title challenger Borussia Moenchengladbach and Cologne was also put off.

Yet in the Netherlands, an intrepid band of cyclists made the most of the wild conditions to take part in the Dutch Headwind Cycling Championships.

Waves crash over the harbour and a lighthouse, as Storm Ciara hits Newhaven, on the south coast of England, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Using only basic bikes without gears, lightweight frames or drop handlebars, contestants rode a timed 5.3-mile course along the coast of southern Zeeland province. Blasted by winds, blinded by blowing sand from nearby beaches, the cyclists struggled to stay upright.

“I survived, but it’s very tough,” said Hans Deting, 56, his right hand dripping with blood after being blown off his bike.

"This is a bucket list thing,” rider Edwin van Gaalen explained, as he leaned on his handlebars, gasping for breath after finishing.

Ultimately, the gale-force winds became too strong even for this macho event. Organizers brought the race to an early end after 250 of the 300 riders had finished.

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2020-02-09 17:12:45Z
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Storm Ciara: Floods and travel disruption as UK hit by severe gales - BBC News

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Severe gales and heavy rain are sweeping across the UK as travellers face disruption from Storm Ciara.

There is widespread flooding and a severe warning - meaning a danger to life - has been issued for Pateley Bridge, north Yorkshire.

Thousands of people are without electricity and sporting fixtures have been cancelled due to the weather.

Airlines have cancelled dozens of flights, while several rail firms have urged passengers not to travel.

Ferry passengers also face delays and cancellations, while drivers have been warned to take extra care.

Large parts of the UK are covered by an amber warning for very strong winds, with gusts reaching more than 90mph in some places.

Sporting events called off because of the adverse weather include Manchester City's Premier League match against West Ham.

Western Power Distribution says 12,779 of its customers in the East and West Midlands, the South-West and South Wales do not have any electricity.

In the UK as a whole about 92,000 people were without power as of 13:00 GMT. Energy companies said they had reconnected 189,000 customers since the storm hit and work is continuing to restore electricity to the remaining homes.

One journey was made easier by Storm Ciara, however: a British Airways flight made the fastest subsonic New York to London flight as it rode a jet stream accelerated by the storm.

How bad is the storm?

The amber warning for wind in place across much of England and Wales until 21:00 GMT means that wind-blown debris and large waves could pose a danger to life.

Yellow weather warnings cover the whole of the UK until midnight on Sunday.

Wales has been hit by some of the the strongest winds so far, with a 93mph gust recorded in Aberdaron, north-west Wales, followed by 86mph in Capel Curig in Snowdonia.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said the size of the amber warning was very unusual, and showed how widespread the impact of Storm Ciara would be.

"It's not just coastal parts which are likely to see gusts of 70-80mph, but even inland areas, which don't usually see those strengths of wind," he said.

He added that those winds, combined with heavy rain would cause significant problems around the country. Already more than 100mm of rain has fallen in some parts of northern England and north Wales.

More than 250 flood warnings have been issued around the UK - meaning that flooding is expected - with more than 200 in England, more than 60 in Scotland, and 17 in Wales.

The Environment Agency has issued one severe warning for the River Nidd at Pateley Bridge, where the waters are expected to rise to 5.1m, overtopping flood defences and possibly posing a "danger to life".

How has travel been disrupted?

Heathrow Airport said it had taken the joint decision with its airline partners to operate a reduced timetable to minimise the number of flights cancelled at short notice.

British Airways has cancelled flights from Heathrow, Gatwick and London City, while Virgin Atlantic has posted a number of cancelled flights on its website.

Network Rail has imposed a blanket speed restriction of 50mph across the network on Sunday, warning passengers to only travel by train that day "if absolutely necessary".

The rail firms which issued "do not travel" warnings for Sunday were Gatwick Express, Grand Central, Great Northern, Hull Trains, LNER, Northern, Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink and TransPennine Express.

Flooding and debris on the tracks have caused delays and cancellations to many services.

Some of the routes affected by the weather include:

• Edinburgh Waverley Station - closed to new passengers because of overcrowding
• Avanti West Coast - no trains running north of Preston
• Grand Central - all services cancelled on Sunday
• Cross Country - line blocked between Birmingham New Street and Derby

London Euston temporarily closed due to overcrowding, but reopened within half an hour.

On the roads, the Humber Bridge in East Yorkshire was closed for only the second time in its history. It has reopened to cars, but not to vans or lorries.

The Dartford Crossing in Kent is closed to traffic.

Ferry services have also been affected, with all services suspended at the Port of Dover because of strong winds.

DFDS has also cancelled all its ferries between Newhaven and Dieppe.

What else has the storm affected?

A surfer in Hastings who lost his board in powerful waves was rescued by police, coastguard teams, a helicopter and a lifeboat. He had been missing at sea for about an hour.

Elsewhere, firefighters in Blackpool had to rescue a motorist whose car got stuck in floodwater. Blackpool Council tweeted that some properties were being evacuated.

The Queen did not attend church in Sandringham, Norfolk, because of "public safety reasons" due to the weather.

Other effects of the storm include:

• Scotland's Women's Six Nations match against England has been postponed
• Four Women's Super League matches have been called off, including Liverpool against Everton, where more than 20,000 fans were expected
• Horse racing at Exeter, Southwell and Punchestown has been cancelled
• The London Winter Run 10k - due to be attended by 25,000 runners - was cancelled
• London's eight Royal Parks, which include Hyde Park and Regent's Park, are closed on Sunday

What's the forecast?

Strong gusts of wind are expected to continue to hit Northern Ireland and most of Scotland after the storm has passed on Monday.

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for Monday for wind and snow in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and snow and ice across north-west England.

The yellow warnings for snow and ice remain in place for much of Scotland, northern Ireland and parts of the north of England on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Have you been affected by Storm Ciara? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:

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2020-02-09 15:19:05Z
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