Storm Doris: Londoners battle gales and rain as fierce weather continues

Francesca Gillett23 February 2017

Londoners battled against Storm Doris on Thursday as dramatic video footage captured heavy rain and fierce gales sweeping through the capital.

The stormy weather blasted the city during rush hour as video footage from King’s Cross showed swathes of rain being blown across the road by the forceful gusts.

London's severe weather warning was set to last until 8pm as winds of up to 60mph continued to batter the capital.

One man in north London said he was a "prisoner in his own home" after the storm took down a tree outside his house.

Storm Doris - In pictures

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Harry Newbury recorded footage from Euston Road near to the British Library at just before 8.30am.

He told the Standard: “I actually didn't expect the storm to be anything remotely like a storm, we so rarely get weather like that.

Storm Doris UK Weather pattern map
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“I didn't even have a proper coat on.”

Another video posted by Lou Black showed Londoners running through the miserable weather to get into work.

Dave Holoway, who lives in Petherton Road in north London, said he was a "prisoner" in his home after a large tree fell and blocked the entrance.

Matt White called Storm Doris a "feisty one" and said there was "wheelie bins all over the place!"

Another Twitter user, Lauren Davey, said: "It's like a tornado."

Weather experts had predicted Doris would wreak havoc by damaging buildings and hitting transport.

Around 10 per cent of flights out of Heathrow Airport were cancelled because of high winds on Thursday morning and Network Rail warned rail passengers of problems to services as speed restrictions are imposed.

Trains heading in and out of London Euston and St Pancras stations were suspended as crowds of passengers were forced to wait on the concourse.

Passenger Jonathan Wall shared a photo of the departure board at Euston showing a string of cancellations.

Police and firefighters reportedly cordoned off part of Liverpool Street as debris was seen falling onto the road from above.

Staff at Prêt à Manger said the cafe on the busy street was closed for around 40 minutes because of debris and burger restaurant Patty & Bun was also reportedly temporarily shut.

Police blocked off part of Kilburn High Street because of an unsafe building caused by the storm damage.

The Met Police's marine unit shared a video of officers taking on choppy water as they warned people to "batten down the hatches!"

Londoners warned each other to “stay safe” and “hold on tight” as more photos and video of the fierce storm taking hold emerged.

Meanwhile, in the north of England Good Morning Britain's weather reporter Juliet Dunlop was caught in Storm Doris as she delivered a weather report from Blackpool.

Elsewhere in the UK an 87mph gust was recorded on the Galway coast in the Republic of Ireland as Doris arrived in the UK.

Around 46,000 homes across Ireland were without power.

This week London’s temperatures had been growing warmer, with a high of 18.3C recorded at Kew Gardens on Monday.

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