WINDS of more than 80mph brought down trees, damaged houses and left 5500 people without electricity today as a severe storm hit Britain.

Rescue workers were battling "horrendous" weather as they towed a stricken 11,000-tonne tanker with 13 crew aboard.

The Swedish vessel, carrying gas oil, had its rudder damaged off the Isle of Wight around 7am.

Two Coastguard tugs and an RNLI lifeboat, with six crew aboard, were dispatched in force 11 winds to help the tanker.

Also in the English Channel, a Dutch ship ran aground on Britanny as winds hit over 80mph.

Scotland was also hit by winds and snowstorms. The highest gusts were 57mph in Machrihanish, Argyll, and 55mph on Lewis.

Snow caused problems on the M74 when a lorry jacknifed at the Beattock Summit.

In central Scotland, two tankers got stuck in snow on the A85 between Lochearnhead and Lix Toll, but managed to get free.

And 40 workers at the JVC television factory in East Kilbride were sent home because a container ship packed with parts had been held up by storms.

In England, the highest recorded wind speed was 82mph at Berry Head in Brixham, Devon.

Devon County Council said it had dealt with more than 70 reports of trees and branches brought down by the storm.

In Cornwall, more than 30 homes in the seaside towns of Looe, Fowey, Mevagissey and Flushing were hit by high tides.

And water lapped around seafront homes in the south Devon town of Teignmouth.

In Lytchett Matravers, Dorset, a tree came down on a house, but there were no injuries.

At one stage 5500 people in the West Country and South Wales were without electricity after trees crashed on power lines.

Snow, coupled with driving winds, caused treacherous conditions on the A66 between County Durham and Cumbria. Lorries sheltered at the side of the Trans-Pennine route to avoid being toppled by the gusts.

Staff at Cheltenham race course faced a race against time to repair storm damage before tomorrow's opening of the festival.

A hospitality tent was flattened by the winds and the starter's rostrum was blown over, damaging fencing.

The Environment Agency had seven severe flood warnings in force, 48 flood warnings and 53 flood watches.