Fallen trees blocked roads in both counties

Trees and power cables were brought down as winds reached up to 80mph (130km/h), blocking roads and cutting off power to hundreds of homes.

In one incident, four people were trapped when a garage wall collapsed in Teignmouth, Devon.

Trains were forced to slow to 50mph (80km/h) to avoid debris on the line. Flights from both Newquay and Land's End airports were also cancelled.

Fallen trees

About 1,000 homes across Devon were left without power as a result of high winds and bad weather.

In Cornwall, power cables were brought down in Bugle, near St Austell, with electricity cables also sparking at Park View in Liskeard. Western Power Distribution engineers dealt with the emergencies.

Work at Nexus garage in Kingsteignton came to an abrupt end when part of the wall fell in trapping a customer under the rubble, along with three staff.

Four people were trapped under rubble at the Nexus Garage

The customer was taken to Torbay Hospital, and structural specialists were called in to check the garage.

Devon County Council's control room said it dealt with a number of fallen trees across the county, and Devon and Cornwall Police said the force had received reports of trees and cables down "all over the place".

Trees blocked roads in Exeter, on the A381 just outside Totnes, and the main road between Bratton Fleming and Barnstaple. A telegraph pole also fell at Yarnscombe, near Barnstaple.

Kirsty Anderson, a spokeswoman for Network Rail in the South West, said they had implemented a 50mph speed limit.

"It gives drivers sufficient time to react if there is, for example, a fallen tree on the line," she said.

Brixham Coastguard said at least six ships took shelter from the weather in Torbay.

The Torpoint Ferry, linking Devon and Cornwall, was also closed for three hours before reopening just before 0730 GMT.

The Environment Agency has now given the all clear for the Devon coastline with flood watches no longer in operation. The winds are expected to ease on Thursday night.