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A second storm is set to hit Britain later today after the country was lashed this morning by winds that reached hurricane force and caused widespread chaos.

Thousands of homes spent the morning without power, more than 100 flights were cancelled, trains were delayed, ports, roads and bridges were closed and commuters endured a miserable journey to work as the powerful gales swept in from the Atlantic.

Emergency services were inundated with calls reporting storm damage and flooding, as the winds coincided with one of the highest tides of the year.

As a watery sun broke out in the aftermath, forecasters warned that the pummelling was not yet over and a second storm was on its way bringing more gusting winds and driving rain.

Paul Simon, The Times's Weatherman, said that battered homeowners in Wales and the West Country could take some comfort that the secondary storm was unlikely to be as ferocious as the first.

"The intensity and explosive nature of this storm was thanks to a vigorous jet stream, a band of winds a few miles high blasting in from the east coast of North America at over 320km/h (200mph)," said Simons.

"As these high-level winds surged overhead they helped to power and steer the depression across the Atlantic and over the UK. Because the jet stream winds are travelling so fast and straight, the storm blew over quite rapidly, although a secondary storm is going to bring wind and showers on Monday evening."

The Environment Agency had had seven severe flood warnings in force covering the whole Cornish coastline and most of North and South Devon, but by early afternoon it had relaxed these to the level of flood warnings.

At the height of the turmoil an estimated 7,000 people suffered electricity cuts after trees crashed through power lines. Nearly 200 people were forced to evacuate their homes in exposed coastal areas of South Wales because of the risk of flooding and of structural damage in high winds.

Swans floated down the main street in the village of Flushing in Cornwall, and around 30 homes were also flooded in Looe, Fowey and Mevagissey as the storms coincided with one of the highest tides of the year.

A Swedish oil tanker with 13 crew on board ran into trouble off the Isle of Wight after damaging her rudder on a shoal. A lifeboat launched in winds measured at violent storm force 11 to be ready to evacuate the vessel if necessary, and two tugs were sent to pull the vessel to shelter during a lull in the weather.

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