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Storm Eleanor: Plane at London City airport unable to land due to gale-force winds

Flooding and strong winds are causing hazardous travel conditions across northern Europe

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The Independent Online
London City Airport Getty

The latest named storm to batter the UK has caused difficulties for pilots and drama for passengers as planes have struggled to land in high winds.

Storm Eleanor has pounded the UK with hurricane force winds in some areas, bringing flooding and powercuts to thousands of homes.

Winds of over 100mph were recorded in the Pennines overnight, and speeds reached 90mph in Northern Ireland, the Met Office said.

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One passenger on a flight from Edinburgh to London City airport filmed the uneasy moment the aircraft he was travelling on approached the runway in London.

The video shows the plane rocking from side to side as it makes its approach, but just before touchdown the plane lifts up again.

“Woah-hoho”, passenger Graham Kirk can be heard saying as the aircraft ascends.

On Twitter he wrote: “Each flight today comes with a free rollercoaster ride. Very sporting go-around on today’s BA8705 from EDI. Someone buy that captain a beer!”

The Thames Barrier, visible in the video, was closed to protect London from the surges brought by the low pressure.

Storm Eleanor: in pictures

Storm Eleanor: in pictures

  • 1/20

    Storm Eleanor swept across the country overnight, bringing winds of up to 100 mph in places and carrying rain, hail and thunder and lightning

    AFP/Getty

  • 2/20

    A man walks past a fallen tree as it blocks a road in Harrow

    EPA

  • 3/20

    Storm Eleanor lashed the UK with violent storm-force winds of up to 100mph

    PA

  • 4/20

    A fence around a building yard fallen on parked card in Tottenham

    Rex Features

  • 5/20

    A beach patrol vehicle drives past waves crashing against the breakwater in Blackpool

    EPA

  • 6/20

    A car drives along a flooded road in New Brighto

    REUTERS

  • 7/20

    A partially collapsed harbour wall in Portreath, Cornwall

    PA

  • 8/20

    Waves crash over the tidal wall as a motorist travels along the coastal road in New Brighton, north west England

    AFP/Getty

  • 9/20

    An uprooted tree falls in the front garden of a house in Haringey, North London

    Rex Features

  • 10/20

    A car crushed by falling debris in London

  • 11/20

    A flooded street in Galway

    Michael Scott/Twitter/PA

  • 12/20

    The strong winds have caused damage across the UK

  • 13/20

    Big waves crash over the sea walls in Blackpool

    PA

  • 14/20

    Storm Eleanor at high tide in Weston-Super-Mare

    Rex Features

  • 15/20

    Water surrounds parked cars in Galway as storm Eleanor hit

    Emma Hayward/Twitter/PA

  • 16/20

    A car driving through flood water in Salthill, Galway

    The Latin Quarter Galway/PA

  • 17/20

    Waves crash against the sea wall in Aberystwyth

    PA

  • 18/20

    Storm Eleanor has caused road disruption

    PA

  • 19/20

    A car drives through a flooded car park in Salthill

    PA

  • 20/20

    Cars stranded in flood water

    Emma Hayward/Twitter/PA

Some flights due to arrive at Heathrow, from Dublin, Amsterdam and Brussels have been cancelled. Check the airport’s website for information.

Elsewhere, ferries struggled to dock in choppy waters on the Mersey in Liverpool, a lorry overturned on the M6 at junction 20, trees over 200-years-old were brought down in Northern Ireland, and the roof was torn off a line of shops in Birmingham.

Thousands left without power as Storm Eleanor batters the UK

See our live blog for all the latest updates.