Severe Weather: Families Forced From Homes

Almost 50,000 people are without power on Christmas Day and dozens have been evacuated from their flooded homes following severe weather.

Many of those affected by the storms that battered the UK in the run-up to Christmas will not have power restored to their homes until Boxing Day, the Energy Networks Association has warned.

Around 90 people were asked to leave their homes on the River Stour near Bournemouth following warnings from the Environment Agency, Dorset Police said.

Travel chaos at Gatwick Airport - pic: @walshymk

Officers had been monitoring the levels of the River Stour closely and people living in the threatened areas were warned of the possibility of flooding and evacuation.

Police described the rescue effort as a "multi-agency operation" and advised people who have concerns about flooding to contact the Environment Agency.

Emergency services evacuated people from the Iford Bridge Home Park in Bournemouth and the Beaulieu Garden Park Home in Christchurch, Dorset, after water levels rose dangerously.

The coastguard rescued 76 people from a caravan park flooded by the River Medway at Yalding in Kent on Tuesday night.

Rescuers helped residents at the Little Venice Caravan and Marina Park leave by boat and four-wheel-drive vehicle.

The water was chest deep at one point, and a helicopter was brought in as a precaution while the last 21 people were led to safety.

The Environment Agency's map shows flood warnings across England and Wales

By 1pm on Christmas Day, the Environment Agency had reduced the number of severe flood warnings - meaning lives are in danger - from three to two.

But 102 flood warnings - meaning "immediate action" is required - and 200 "be prepared" flood alerts were still in place.

Many travellers are still trying to get home for Christmas after treacherous conditions on the roads and major delays on the rail network and at airports hampered their travel plans .

Five people have died in the last three days because of the stormy weather.

Passengers' luggage at Gatwick Airport

There was chaos at Gatwick Airport in West Sussex on Christmas Eve after a power cut at the North Terminal led to cancellations and delays, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. The airport said normal service was resuming today.

Police officers stepped in to calm passengers as they demanded information about their flights.

Hundreds of pieces of luggage were strewn across the airport as no bags were able to be checked in.

Airline easyJet said it would be operating a limited number of Christmas Day flights from the airport to replace 83 cancelled on Tuesday because of the power cut.

These include flights to Faro, Basle, Malaga, Alicante and Amman, while passengers from a cancelled flight from Gibraltar to Gatwick will be travelling on one from Malaga.

Tonbridge in Kent has been hit by severe flooding - pic: Toby MacKenzie

EasyJet said it would be unable to schedule any further flights today because of limited capacity at airports and crew availability.

A spokesman said: "Due to the high amount of cancellations that were unavoidable on the 24th, we are currently working on a plan to repatriate all passengers back to their destinations as soon as possible.

"But please be advised this may take a couple of days whilst the programme resumes to normal operation from Thursday."

Although Wednesday has seen calmer weather, more storms are expected on Friday.

The Environment Agency said 150 properties had been flooded in England, mainly in Surrey and Kent, with numbers expected to rise.

A police officer calms crowds at Gatwick - pic: Joe Pattinson

Firefighters in both counties broke a five-hour nationwide strike on Tuesday to help deal with the effects of the storms.

In Surrey, residents were evacuated from their homes in Dorking, Leatherhead and Guildford, while more evacuations occurred in Tonbridge, Kent.

Some 40 properties were evacuated in Godalming because of concerns over the height of the River Wey, Surrey Police said.

In the Mole Valley, evacuations took place in Leatherhead and Dorking after the River Mole burst its banks in several areas.

Fire crews rescued motorists - pic: Dorset Fire and Rescue Service

Police said the Flanchford Bridge over the River Mole near Reigate had collapsed, but no one was injured.

In Dorset, fire crews had to rescue 25 people trapped in their cars by flood water.

At a Wetherspoon's pub in Tonbridge, 100 people booked in for Christmas dinner had to make alternative arrangements after it was flooded.

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