Trains stranded and events cancelled due to weather
Greg Martin
Yellow wind and rain warnings are in place across Devon and Cornwall as severe weather led to stormy seas, cancelled trains and event disruption.
The Torbay half marathon and 10km (6.2 miles) races were cancelled amid safety concerns, and some attractions closed for the day.
Wind gusts were predicted to reach 60mph in some areas.
Meanwhile, rail services were suspended as operator Great Western Railway (GWR) confirmed two trains carrying passengers were “stranded” between Exeter and Plymouth – one at Dawlish and another at Teignmouth, with the cause unknown.
Greg Martin
A GWR spokesman said lines between Exeter St David’s and Penzance was closed.
He added: “It’s not yet known why and Hitachi will need to investigate the cause of any issues to those trains.
“Our priority is getting passengers moved to the nearest station and onwards to complete their journey.”
At 20.30 the company said the 12.36 Paddington to Paignton service had been moved back to Newton Abbot.
The other service, the 13.00 Cardiff to Penzance train, was also being moved to Newton Abbot so customers could be taken off.
The spokesman said the advice to passengers was not to travel, and today’s tickets would be valid tomorrow.
All lines were also blocked between Par and Newquay and between Truro and Falmouth Docks, GWR said.
Elsewhere, sites that closed due to the weather included Wildwood animal park in Ottery St Mary, and the Minack Theatre in Penzance.
Photographer Greg Martin captured waves battering South Pier and lashing the lighthouse at Newlyn harbour in Cornwall.
The Met Office said the rain was expected to ease during the second half of Sunday night.
The wind warning is place until 23.59 BST on Sunday, while the rain warning is due to end on Monday morning at 09:00.
There were flood alerts on Sunday in the River Axe, Rivers Otter and Sid areas and between Dawlish Warren and Seaton, and Start Point and Dawlish Warren.
Met Office
Numerous cancelled events included ParkLive in Falmouth, Woolacombe beach clean, Torpoint Street Market and the Minack Theatre, perched on the Cornish cliffs of Porthcurno said on social media it had closed due to high winds with ticket holders to contact them directly.
North Devon Yacht Club said: “Sunday’s race is cancelled as there is a severe weather warning of gusts to 50mph. Tie your boats down and hold onto your hats!”
The rail line between Crediton and Okehampton was closed on Sunday morning for more than an hour after a train hit a tree, which was felled by strong winds.
Greg Martin, a photographer from Penzance who captured dramatic coastal scenes of foamy waves crashing into a pier in Cornwall, said: “It’s been a grotty day of weather here in Penzance and Newlyn today.
“Often, these unnamed storms that blow in from the south hit us the hardest and although this wasn’t a big storm, the strong winds and rough seas will mean people living along the prom will probably be picking seaweed out of their gardens for days.
“It’s a reminder for us all that winter is just around the corner.”
A yellow weather warning is also currently in place for South Wales, while further yellow rain warnings have been issued for Monday.
One covers eastern England between 08:00 BST on Monday and 03:00 on Tuesday, and the other is for North Wales and north-west England between 00.30 and 20:00 on Monday.
